Tangled Web
by ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie
Summary: A big-shot movie star, a student-turned-bartender, a wanna-be pop-star, and a laid-back florist. What will happen when these four paths cross? CloudXTifa, TifaXZack, ZackXAeris, AerisXCloud... and just about any other male-female pairing. AU, R&R, please!
1. Chapter I

_Hello all! First off, I do not own Final Fantasy 7... This is my only disclaimer. If Square doesn't like that, then sue me!_

_**Chapter I**_

_**Thursday morning…**_

The following takes place between 7:20 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (Sorry 'bout the '24' mockery…)

**(Cloud, 7:20 a.m.)**

The sun shone through the blinds and forced him awake. He rolled out of bed and grabbed some pants off the floor and pulled them up over his boxers. He grabbed a dusty-blue long-sleeved shirt with a logo for some company on it and pulled it over his head. He opened the door to his bedroom and walked into the small kitchen, pulling a pack of frozen waffles out of the freezer and dropping two into the toaster. _"I wonder if Luc is gonna open today…? Doubt it. Lazy ass never gets out of bed before ten."_ His waffles popped up and he pulled them out and sat at the small table, dousing them in syrup.

**(Aeris, 7:42 a.m.)**

Aeris happily skipped out of the shower room on the eighth floor of the girls' dorm. She approached her room and fumbled around for her key in her pink toiletry bag. She opened the door to find her roommate, Elena, sitting up in bed with a groggy expression on her face. "Morning!" the brunette called out. She inhaled deeply and said, "Who doesn't love Philosophy at eight in the morning?"

Her roommate glared at her, "A non-philosophy major?"

Aeris giggled, "You're so not a morning person."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing!" she said brightly, pulling on a pair of pink flip-flops to match her pink tank top. She picked up her pink backpack with a flower design on the pockets and turned to leave. "Bye, Elena! See you 'round noon!" she closed the door behind her too quickly and got her white skirt caught in it. Elena watched as the skirt pulled out of the door in several sharp tugs.

**(Cloud, 8:14 a.m.)**

He walked downstairs to the shop that his mother had left behind for her two children. Since she had known Cloud to be the more considerate one, she'd left the Strife Floral in his ownership. The two still acted as though they shared it, as he often handled the arrangements and Luc, the older, more book-smart of the two, handled the finances.

He walked behind the counter, pushed up his sleeves and tied on an apron with the store logo printed on it. He picked up a pair of shears and started trimming flowers he'd gathered from the attached greenhouse. He glanced up at the clock, _"Forty minutes 'til opening…"_

**(Tifa, 8:37 a.m.)**

The screech of an electric guitar sounded through the house. Tifa jumped awake on her futon and looked around for the source of the noise. Another note played and, recognizing it, she threw off her covers and grabbed her bathrobe. She tied her belt as she threw open the door connecting the garage to the house and stormed in. She marched up to the bedroom-turned-video lab and pounded on the door. "Open up!" she shouted to be heard over the noise.

The noise finally died down and the door opened a minute later. A redheaded man stood there with his long hair tied back in a ponytail, "Morning, Sunshine!"

"Don't 'Sunshine' me, Reno! What the hell are you thinking, making all that racket at this hour!"

He shot her a grin, "And here I thought you'd be grateful."

"Why the hell would I be grateful for being woken up!?"

"'Cause I'm just working on the finishing touches of yer audition video."

All anger was gone, "Really!?"

"Yep. Just needed to redo my notes during the second chorus."

"Yes!" she jumped forward, hugging him, "Thank you, Reno! But, you made a mistake."

"What?"

"You said _my_ video. It's _our_ video."

**(Aeris, 8:53 a.m.)**

She stuffed her textbook and notes back into her backpack. She stood up and slung it over her shoulder. She did a little stretch and headed for the door, sighing. Finals were coming up, and she wasn't near ready. She started running down the hall in order to make it to her nine o'clock History and Uses for Mako class._ "Midgar U is too big… Can't make it to the next class in the ten minutes they give you…!"_

**(Cloud, 9:02 a.m.)**

He set down the bouquet he finished inside one of the display pots and flipped on the rest of the lights in the store. He walked over to the door, unlocked it and turned the 'closed' sign to the 'open' side. _"And so it begins… Again."_ He walked back to the counter and picked up another carnation and his clippers. He heard a 'thump' from above, _"Well, sounds like Luc woke up… Either that or fell out of bed."_ He heard pounding and footsteps slamming around. He grinned, _"Or both."_

**(Zack, 9:47 a.m.)**

"Zaa-aack…! Good morning, Zacky!"

"Huh…? What? Oh… Morning…" he grinned at the woman lying beside him. "How'd you sleep?"

"Wonderfully."

"That's good."

"I had quite the bedfellow. It's hard not to sleep well when in such company."

He grinned, "See you tonight?"

She smiled back, "Of course."

There was a knock at the door and Zack called out, "Come in!" It opened and a tall man with slicked back black hair walked in, and then covered his eyes when he saw the woman with only the sheet to hide her.

"Zack, I've told you before. If you have company who isn't… properly dressed, then don't say 'come in'!"

"Geez, cool it, Angeal. She doesn't mind, do you?" he stroked her chin, sending her into a fit of giggles.

"I'm going to wait in the hall while your friend gets ready to go. You have a busy schedule today." He turned and left.

"Alright!" he turned to the woman, "Well, you heard the man, time to get up."

"Ohh… Are you sure, Zacky?"

"Yeah, sorry."

"If you say so…" As she sat up and moved to get out of bed, Zack slapped her on the rear in a rather obscene way. She only laughed and waved, continuing towards the bathroom, stark naked.

**(Tifa, 10:05 a.m.)**

Tifa sat on her futon in the garage with Reno, while Barret, a large, dark-skinned man with a metal hand, sat on the couch on the side. Tifa spoke, "That girl's certainly taking her sweet time…"

"Tell me about it…" Reno drawled.

A short, Wutaian girl in her late teens sauntered in through the open garage door and made a beeline for the mini-fridge. She opened it and pulled out a beer, smiling triumphantly, "Anyone else want one?"

The men raised their hands while Tifa looked at her skeptically, "It's ten in the morning, Yuffie."

"So?"

Tifa shrugged and raised her hand. After Yuffie finished handing out beers, she twisted the cap open and slumped down in the papasan chair, "So, what's the emergency? You woke me up, you know."

Reno cleared his throat, "Well, looks like our audition video is finally complete!"

Tifa suppressed a chuckle; the man was a genius when it came videos or guitars, but when it came to speeches, he was desperately lacking.

Yuffie and Barret started cheering. "But!" the redhead continued, "We still have to send it in… Then comes the hard part."

Yuffie looked at him with wide eyes, "What do you mean, 'the hard part'?"

Tifa jumped in, "The waiting."

"Oh…" Yuffie breathed out a sigh of relief, "Thank Leviathan! I thought you meant more work!"

"By da way…" Barret spoke up, "I got us anutta gig on Sataday."

"That only gives us three days to practice… Where is it?" Tifa asked.

"The Silver Materia."

Tifa's and Reno's faces paled at the mention of the nightclub.

**(Aeris, 10:24 a.m.)**

Aeris jumped when the little chime sounded, letting her know she had a new e-mail. She clicked on the icon that popped up and read the message. _"Huh… Cid needs me to come in early… Darn it! I needed to study for finals! Phooey!"_ She clicked the reply button and typed, 'Alright, be there at five! –Aeris'

She logged off the public computer and left the library, heading towards the fountain at the center of campus. The forty-foot waterfall fountain came into view and she saw a girl with reddish colored hair sitting on one of the eight surrounding benches. When Aeris was almost right behind the other girl, she said, "Hey! Cissnei! What's up?"

The other girl, Cissnei, turned around to face her friend, "Good to see you, Aeris. What took you so long?"

Red spots flared up on her cheeks, "Sorry! I got distracted with my e-mail!" She sat down beside the other girl.

"Heh. Truth be told, I just got here. How's Elena?"

"Same as always." A bright smile lit her face, "Heeey… Maybe we could be roommates next semester? I don't think Elena would mind."

"I thought you were friends?"

Aeris held her hands up defensively, "We are! It's just, she hates my long hours, and I don't think I'm going to be getting another job anytime soon…"

Cissnei shrugged, "Whatever. We could apply for the same room if you want. I mean, why not? I'm out with you until the morning hours anyway."

"Heehee! Next semester's gonna be so much fun!"

**(Cloud, 10:49 a.m.)**

"Thank you, have a nice day," Cloud watched the third customer of the day leave. The bell above the door clanged and a tall man in black jeans and a sleeveless black turtlenecked muscle shirt walked in. Around his neck hung an elaborate cross with varying shades of gold and silver. He wore a simple, fingerless grip-glove on his right hand and a long, black glove that ran up to his bicep on the left. Over the longer glove, he wore a golden armor plate that shielded his arm from the elbow down to his fingertips. Cloud looked up, "Morning Vincent."

"Morning, kid. Need help?" his smoky voice monotonous.

"Sure. Luc's still upstairs. Left me with the shop for the last two hours."

"How… inconsiderate," he walked behind the counter and pulled an apron that matched Cloud's off the peg in the wall and tied it on. The first time Cloud had seen this gothic man in a white apron with a big arrangement of flowers on it, he'd almost cracked up before he remembered exactly who he was.

Banging and thumping could be heard from the stairwell. The door between the shop and the stairs flew open and a woman in her mid-twenties walked through; her long reddish-brown hair tied back in a ponytail. "Speak of the devil… literally," Cloud mumbled. Vincent grinned as a response.

"Morning, Cloud!" she noticed the other man present, and smiled, "Good morning, Vincent."

He smirked back, "Good morning, Lucrecia."

Cloud glared at his friend, "Don't even think about it. I might hate her, and she might be a huge pain in my ass, but she's still my sister."

Vincent feigned ignorance, "What are you talking about?"

"It doesn't take a genius to know that you never spend a night alone."

His smirk never faded as he shrugged, "What can I say? The ladies like my look."

Cloud turned to his sister, "Please tell me you're not getting all hung up on him…"

"Hah. Hardly," she replied, though it was obvious she didn't mean it.

**(Zack, 11:14 a.m.)**

Zack sat in Angeal's office, drumming his fingers on the desk. "Hey, Angeal, come on…! What do I have to be here for!?" he whined.

"Because I foolishly believed you might have had some suggestions."

"Eh… I just have to kiss her… Why should I care who replaces her?"

"When a plot-important actress just drops a role, it should have a bit more of an effect on the lead."

"How 'bout this?" Zack leaned forward in his seat, "Why don't we just go to the set and pick out a girl to play the part?"

"What? You mean a girl without any experience?"

"Sure, why not?" he slurred.

"You are aware that you'll have a… intimate scene with her, right?"

"Aww… Are you worried about me?"

"It would be a girl you've likely never met before…"

"God knows I've never done that before," he mouthed off sarcastically.

Angeal dropped his head to the desk, "Alright, I'll propose your idea to the director. Who knows? Maybe he'll like it."

**(Aeris, 11:36 a.m.)**

Aeris obediently took notes amidst her Foreign Cultures class; this week was the Icicle Inn. She stopped writing since she already knew almost everything there is to know about the small town, seeing as to how she was born and raised there. She started doodling on the top of her notebook; she started out with random shapes, which gradually became a flower field. She sighed, catching the attention of a few other students in the class, _"I miss the outdoors…! I wanna be back in my garden… I wonder how Mom and Dad are doing…? I'll have to call them this weekend…"_

**(Tifa, 11:51 a.m.)**

"Hell, yeah!

Watch you burn…

Slowly,

I laugh and turn…

And walk away."

Tifa belted out the lyrics while standing towards the front of the now open garage. Yuffie's jamming intensified as her guitar solo started. Reno supplied additional notes now and then with his bass guitar, and Barret helped on drums. Some neighborhood high school students watched from the driveway.

"Hold up!" Tifa shouted into the microphone, just to get everyone's attention. The others stopped abruptly.

"What now?" Yuffie whined.

"I think we need to switch that verse up a little bit… It doesn't flow right."

"Yeah, I get it," Reno mumbled, "I think we need to mix in a few more drum notes."

"What you talkin' 'bout, foo!?" Barret jumped up.

"Easy. I said we need more. Not that you weren't playing right."

Yuffie interrupted, "Well, can we stop for now? I think I need to soak my fingers in a potion." She held up her bleeding fingertips. "Besides, I should head home and start on this gig's threads."

Tifa pulled a water bottle out of the fridge and gulped half of it before breathing, "Alright, let's break for now."

Reno addressed their audience, "Sorry, folks! Shows over for now. Shouldn't you be in school, anyway?" The kids ignored his question and stood to leave. One girl turned and stuck her tongue out at him. Reno shrugged and turned to face a grinning Tifa.

"No wonder you can't get date."

"Aw, &%#$ off, Tifa!"

"Ooh. Dirty talk," she shook a maternal finger at him.

"Hey, I let ya stay in my house."

"Garage, Reno. You let me sleep in your garage."

"Hey, it's not my fault ya got sick o' Barret's."

"I didn't get sick of it! His one room apartment was too small for him, Marlene and me. And I sure as hell wasn't gonna throw my little sister on to the street!" She stormed past him towards the house.

"Eh, whatever. Where you goin'?"

"To get some lunch. You coming?"

"Sure, why not?"

**(Zack, 12:14 p.m.)**

Zack walked out of his trailer, hair and make-up done for the next scene. He held a hand up over his eyes, _"Damn. The outskirts of Midgar sure makes for a great desert, gang-busting scene, but I can't see a thing!"_

A young man in a t-shirt and jeans wearing an I.D. tag around his neck ran over to Zack, "Mr. Fair! We're just waiting on you! Please, this way!"

"Alrighty," he followed the man over towards the set, where there were various forms of equipment scattered about, cameras, screens, lights, and plenty of other things that he didn't know what they were. Upon seeing a familiar face standing beside two blondes, one male and one female, he called out, "Hey, Angeal!"

His agent turned to face him, "It's about time. I'd like you to meet your co-stars. Rufus Shinra, portraying the part of your rival, Rayelis, and Scarlet Dokuchitź, portraying the leading lady, Renée. Mr. Shinra, Ms. Dokuchitź, Zack Fair. Or, rather, Tyler Garcia."

"Pleasure!" Zack offered a quick, playful salute.

"I'm sure," Rufus made no attempt to converse further.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Fair," Scarlet gave him sweet smile and extended her hand, palm down, in an old-fashioned manner.

Zack suavely took her hand and placed a light kiss on the back, glancing up at her with sparkling eyes. Angeal rolled his eyes, "Alright, Zack, that's enough. The film crew wants to start shooting in ten."

"Right. Shall we?" he extended his arm towards Scarlet, who gracefully accepted. Rufus looked about ready to heave.

The same man in the t-shirt ran by, "Places, everyone!" Rufus, Scarlet and a little brown-haired boy headed towards the shiny limo that was to be used in the film. Zack walked over to the Jeep on the side and climbed in.

**(Aeris, 12:32 p.m.)**

Aeris sat in the restaurant eagerly tapping her palms on her knees, "Come on! Where's the food!?"

Elena and Cissnei sat across from her in matching positions, legs crossed at the knees and arms folded. The latter spoke, "It's only been ten minutes, Aeris. This place is pretty packed; I wouldn't be surprised if it took another twenty."

Aeris groaned and Elena mumbled, "It better not. I have class at one-thirty."

In an effort to change the subject, Cissnei asked, "So, Aeris, work at seven?"

"Yeah… No! Wait! Cid e-mailed me. He wants me to be in for five."

"That's awfully early."

"Yeah. The other bartender must've taken the night off. Again."

"Is that that cute guy?"

"Yeah. He's cute, but a real ladies man. A scumball if you ask me."

Elena chuckled, "Wow. Must be a real player to get Aeris this upset."

Aeris stuck her tongue out, "You haven't seen this guy. I mean, he just finishes putting his moves on some girl and then he's trying to smooth-talk me!"

Cissnei chuckled, "Maybe it's his way of showing his feelings for you."

Aeris snorted, "Yeah. Me and every other girl."

The waiter came over then with their food, "Spaghetti with meatballs?" Elena raised her hand, "Baked potatoes with cheddar and bacon?" Cissnei reached out to take it from him, "And a garden-variety salad. I assume that's yours?" he spoke to Aeris.

She nodded, "Yup!" The waiter left, and Aeris cried, "Soup's on!"

**(Cloud, 12:53 p.m.)**

Cloud pulled the 'Out to lunch' sign out from under the counter and stuck it to the glass door with the suction cup. Lucrecia came back down the stairs with her purse, while Vincent grabbed the keys to the shop. Cloud walked past him and held out his hand; the dark-haired man grinned and dropped them into his open palm.

"Alright," Cloud said, "The usual?"

"Sounds good to me," his sister replied.

"Eh, whatever," Vincent shrugged.

After locking the shop behind them, they walked across the street to Project G, a little diner owned by a neighbor. The bell on the door jingled as they moved towards the counter of the tiny place. "Hey, Doc," Cloud called out, "What's it take to get some grub in this joint?"

A somewhat short man with a belly to compensate came out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel. He threw it over his shoulder, "Hey, kid! Oh! Lucrecia! I almost didn't recognize you! I thought you were your mother for a second there!"

Vincent sat on one of the stools, "The usual, Hollander." He was probably the only person who didn't call him 'Doc.'

"Yeah, the usual," Cloud echoed. Lucrecia just nodded and sat in a booth, Cloud followed suit, sitting opposite her. "You gonna join us, Vincent?"

He raised an eyebrow, "If I sat by Lucrecia, I might give her the wrong idea; if I sat by you, well, that would just be awkward."

"Hey," Cloud thrust a finger in the other man's direction, "That was a bet." He stood up and walked around the table, dropping down next to his sister. "Happy?"

"I think so," he slid in across from the two. A minute later, Doc came out with their food and set each dish down in front of them accordingly. Cloud took a bite out of his hamburger and gave the cook a thumbs-up, his mouth full. Lucrecia stirred her soup, deep in thought. Vincent sipped his cherry slushie, staring blankly at his BLT.

"Hey, Vincent…" Cloud mumbled around his burger, "We doing anything tonight?"

"Nah… Man's gotta sleep now and then."

The blond shrugged, "If you say so. This weekend, then?"

"Eh, why not?"

**(Tifa, 1:28 p.m.)**

Tifa walked down the sidewalk holding a bag of groceries. She was lost in her own little world, trying to figure out how to rearrange the verse in their song. She barely noticed when she bumped into someone, she absent-mindedly mumbled, "Sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going…" She raised her head and gasped.

"Well, well. Tifa Lockhart, is it? How've you been?" the silver-haired man asked.

She raised her fists in a defensive stance, "You…! Loz, what do want?"

"I was just walking by. I think you must want something," he grinned.

"I-I don't want anything to do with you! I've kept my promise! I haven't said a word! I had my tattoo removed too, like your boss wanted. See?" she set down her bag and pushed down the knee-length sock on her left leg, revealing the faint image of a long-removed tattoo just above her ankle.

"I see. What a pity. The Boss was only ever happy when you were around. Ah, well. We'll play again later, right? See you Saturday." he waved over his shoulder as he walked away.

Tifa clenched her teeth as she fixed her sock and picked up her groceries. She resumed her walk towards home, "_How does he know about that already?"_

**(Aeris, 1:34 p.m.)**

"_On top of being the common source of energy, Mako is also used as a form of steroids; increasing the strength, stamina and agility of anyone who receives the injection. Due to the expenses behind the procedure, Mako injections are only ever seen in celebrities or corporate executives…"_ Aeris read from her textbook.

She yawned, _"This is so boring! I hate studying. But I have to make Mom and Dad proud! I will keep up my grades if it's the last thing I do!"_ She glanced at her pink watch, _"But… I still have forty minutes 'til my last class… Then I have to get ready for work… I know! Since Elena's not here,"_ she glanced around the empty dorm, _"I'll watch another episode of 'Two Princes'! I love that show! The lead actor is so cute…!"_

**(Zack, 2:02 p.m.)**

"You sick son-of-a-bitch! Give me my brother back!" Zack shouted at the blond man in front of him.

Rufus casually lit a cigarette, "Now, now… Where would my reputation stand if I actually let my hostage live?"

"You're sick! You hear me! Sick!" Zack shook his handgun, keeping it pointed in Rufus's direction, "Where's Phil!?"

"Oh, don't worry, he's fine," Rufus whistled and a bald man came out of the limo, pulling a young boy with him. "See?" he took a long drag on his smoke.

Zack seemed to relax a minute when he saw the boy was safe. The kid saw Zack and cried out, "Ty! Help me!" The bald guy hit the boy with the butt of his gun, knocking him out.

"You bastard! I'll kill you!" he pulled back the hammer on his gun and pointed it right at Rufus, who didn't even flinch.

"Rayelis! Watch out!" the scantily-clad woman behind Rufus called out.

"Stay out of this, Renée. Wouldn't want you to get hurt," Rayelis/Rufus replied coolly.

"Cut!" the director leaned forward in his chair. "That's enough for now. We'll continue after a ten-minute break."

"Whew!" Zack relaxed, smiling, "That was fun!" He moved over towards the boy on the ground, but the bald guy reached down first.

"You okay, Denzel?"

He stood up, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Rude. How'd I look? Was I convincing?"

"Hell, yeah!" Zack pumped a fist in the air, "I almost thought he really did hit you for a sec!"

The boy grinned, "Sweet."

"Come on, I'll show you the big boy's trailer."

"Cool…!"

**(Cloud, 2:17 p.m.)**

Lucrecia ran the counter while Cloud wandered around the greenhouse, watering flowers and talking to them. He always told the flowers everything, whatever was troubling him, all about his latest girl, modifications he made to his motorcycle, his plans for the night, anything.

Anything except for what he did when he was out with Vincent.

His sister would be brokenhearted if she knew. He touched his left forearm and grinned at the thought. No matter how much the shop meant to his mother, nothing could beat out swordfighting. Especially when it was a matter of life or death. He heard a knock at the entryway of the greenhouse and turned to see a slender man with shoulder-length silver hair. He raised a hand in a half-wave accompanied by a small smile. Cloud nodded, "Kadaj. Sure you should be here?"

"Mm, my cousin doesn't know I'm here. I was looking for Vincent. Your sister said you would know."

"He was here this morning. Left after lunch, though. Don't know where he got off to after that, though."

"Oh… Oh, well. Mind if I hang out for awhile?"

"I guess not. As long as you help," he held up his watering can to show what he meant. "How long have you been with us?"

"About four months now," he said with pride as he started pouring water slowly on some hydrangeas.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen. How old are you?"

Cloud eyed him suspiciously, "Twenty-three." He thought to himself, _"What the hell was Vincent thinking when he let him in? He's just a kid!"_ he let out a snort, _"Oh, right. I was only fourteen when I first joined up…"_

"Cloud?"

He glanced over his shoulder at the teen, "What?"

"Why don't you like me?"

"You're _his_ cousin. You can't be trusted."

"I see. But, I'm different. I'll show you! I hate my cousin. He's always so cruel to me."

Cloud raised an eyebrow, "And how would you describe what you do with that Souba of yours?"

He smiled, "I tried to get him to teach me how to fight. But he flat out refused, so I taught myself!"

The blonde's eyes widened, "You taught yourself how to do that?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I would've expected you to learn something like that from a psychotic chipmunk or something."

"What?"

"Never mind," he shook his head, "Hey, you wanna spar sometime?"

"Sure! When?"

"Tonight, if you can. Stop by the base at seven."

"Alright! See you there!" he turned to leave.

"Oh, Kadaj?"

He faced Cloud again, "Yeah?"

"I shouldn't have to say it, but make sure you're not followed."

He nodded and left. Cloud turned back to his flowers.

**(Aeris, 2:24 p.m.)**

Aeris giggled like a maniac at the TV, watching her favorite actor in his first lead role as Jonas Prince, a modern day teen who gets transported to a medieval land and falls for the princess, who was in turn betrothed to Prince Jonas. The show was all about 'royal' mix-ups between the two, 'Prince and the Pauper' style. Aeris glanced at her clock, _"Oh, shoot! My class started ten minutes ago! Ah, well… By the time I get there, class would be almost over, anyway. Time for more 'Princes'!"_ She sat back on her bed and hugged her pillow.

**(Tifa, 2:53 p.m.)**

Tifa pulled up in the little sedan her father had left for her into the Midgar Elementary parking lot. She pulled to stop and got out, scanning the crowd for her sister. She spotted the little girl walking out the door with a smile on her face; Tifa couldn't help but smile herself. "Marlene!" she called out, waving her arms.

The little girl ran over to her and threw her arms around her sister's waist, "Tifa!"

"Hey, Marlene! How was your day?" she helped the girl take off her backpack and climb inside the passenger side of the car. She walked around and sat in the driver's seat, twisting to set the backpack into the backseat.

"It was great! We made macaroni paintings in art class and my teacher told us a story about the start of Midgar and we and we added some numbers in math class; ha ha! Get it? Added 'sum' numbers?"

She laughed, "'Sum' numbers! You're so clever! You sound like you had a busy day, Sweetie! I want to see your painting when we get home!"

"Sorry, Tifa. They wouldn't let me take it home yet. They wanna put it up for all the other classes to see!"

"That's great! I'll just see it when you do get to bring it home, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Why don't you turn on the radio?"

"Okey-dokey." She pressed the power button and started flipping through the stations, "Talking, talking, talking, talking… Where's the music?"

"Hang on, Marlene. Go back to that last one!"

She switched it back and the man in the commercial spoke, "How 'bout it? You wanna see your band in an international film? Just send an audition video to 113 Gorana Street, Sector 1, Midgar. The contest is closed on Sunday, April 5th! Rock on!!!"

Tifa repeated the address in her head over and over until she got to Barret's place. She used the spare key he gave her and opened the door, urging Marlene inside. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down the address as quickly as she could. _"April 5__th__! That's this weekend! We better hurry!"_

"Tifa?"

She was hit by a pang of guilt when she realized the girl had probably been talking since the commercial had come on, "Oh, I'm sorry, Marlene! I'm so, so sorry! What were you saying?"

She looked at her shoes, "Nothing…" She ran off to the single bedroom in the apartment.

"Marlene! I'm sorry!" Tifa walked after her sister, feeling ashamed of herself.

**(Cloud, 3:16 p.m.)**

Cloud set down his watering can and left the greenhouse, locking it securely behind him, and went upstairs, _"Eh… Luc can handle the shop for awhile…"_ He walked into his room and picked up his aptly-named First Tsurugi. He smiled when he felt the familiar weight in his hand. He slid halfway under his bed and dug around. He came back out with a whetstone and started sharpening the blade. _"Alright, Kadaj… Think you can take me on?"_

**(Zack, 3:48 p.m.)**

Zack lay in the trunk of the limo, his hands and feet bound together. "What happened…? Phil!" he jumped up as best he could and wound up hitting his head on the roof of the trunk. He glanced at the small, blinking red light of the camera, and said his lines, "So… Now what…? I have to get out of this thing… I can't believe that Rayelis! What a frickin' bastard! Holds kids hostage in order to get to me…!" He looked right at the camera, "Shit. I messed up. S'posed to be '_just_ to get to me…' not '_in order_ to…' Damn." He slid one hand out of his 'binds' and knocked on the roof of the trunk. It cracked open and he screamed under the flood of light. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh air. He sat up and glanced apologetically at the Wutaian man with long, black hair sitting in fold-out chair, "Sorry, Mr. Tseng. I messed up my lines…"

The director shook his head and looked down, "Get some air and look over your script, then I want see you back in that trunk. I want to get this scene done today if we can…" He glanced at the sky, "On second thought, let's forget it for now. It's getting too late to keep filming."

**(Aeris, 4:11 p.m.)**

She hit the 'stop' button on her DVD player and pulled out the disc, putting it back into its case. She slipped out of her billowy white skirt and slid on a pair of denim short shorts. She undid the black string on her neck and picked up a pink handmade beaded choker with a flower hanging off the front and put it on. She exchanged her silver bracelets for a set of cheap, rainbow-colored plastic ones. She switched the floppy pink ribbon in her hair for a pink and white scarf, tying it at the top of her braid. Lastly, she swapped her flip-flops for a pair of black and pink ankle boots. She grabbed her backpack and ran to the bus stop.

She arrived just in time for the four-twenty bus. She hopped on and showed her student I.D, granting her free passage. She sat down towards the back for the twenty minute ride from Sector 4 to Sector 6.

**(Cloud, 4:28 p.m.)**

Cloud stood behind the counter of the shop, putting together yet another bouquet. He sighed, _"Half an hour 'til closing… Then it's fun time…"_ He leaned back against the wall and started fingering the chain attached to his jeans. The bell above the door jingled and he shot forward, pretending to do work. He looked up at his customer, a slender woman with long brown hair and brilliant green eyes. He spoke, "Hello, welcome to Strife Floral…"

The woman smiled, "Hi! I'm looking for a specific type of lily. My husband and I are in town, visiting our daughter, and I wanted to surprise her with her favorite flower."

"Alright, do you know anything else about the lily? We have a lot of different varieties…"

"Well, it's called something like… a Faith Lily! That's it! Do you have any?"

"This way…" he led to the back of the store, "What's your daughter's favorite color?"

"Well, her favorite color is pink, but she loves the flowers in yellow and white."

"Looks like we have a couple of those in stock. How many would you like?"

"Just one. I'm no good at arranging flowers…"

"I can arrange them for you. Free of charge."

She crossed her arms, "Really? I find it hard to believe a young man such as yourself knows a thing about flowers…"

He chuckled, "I get that a lot. Believe it or not, I put together most of the arrangements in this store."

"If that's the case… I'd like a dozen lilies. All white and yellow, if you have enough."

"Of course," he counted out twelve and brought them to the counter, "This will take a few minutes if you want to come back."

"That's alright. I'll wait."

"If you're sure. Feel free to have a look around."

"Thanks!" she started wandering around, smelling various flowers. Cloud started trimming the stems to mix them up a bit when the woman looked up, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

He looked up in surprise, mouth hanging open, "Wha-?"

"Oh, don't look so shocked! I meant for my daughter!"

He felt himself relax a bit and forced a smile, "Sorry, I make it a policy not to get involved with customers."

"Oh. But, my daughter isn't technically your customer."

"Sorry…"

"That's a shame. Here's her cell number if you change your mind…" she smiled sweetly and slid a piece of paper across the counter.

"_Oh, boy…"_ he thought to himself. He finished with the bouquet, and wrapped it in plain white plastic. "Here you go, Ma'am."

"Thank you! How much is it?" she started digging in her purse, eventually coming out with a wallet.

"Fifteen hundred gil, please." (A/N: Gil is somewhat equivalent to yen or cents in my stories. I figure roughly two bucks is a decent price for common medicine (Potions). Besides, Final Fantasy was created in Japan, so it'd make sense if their currency reflected that of their native country.)

The woman paid him and left, smiling all the while. "Thank you," he called after her.

**(Aeris, 4:48 p.m.)**

She got off the bus and ran the rest of the way to the Lucky Girl, the bar where she worked. As she approached, she could see the line already forming outside. She walked right past and up to the bouncer outside. The bearded, grey-haired man sat on a stool outside the nightclub's doors. He smiled and nodded when Aeris waved. "Evening, Miss!" he called out over the noise of the crowd.

"Evening, Zangan!"

"I take it Cid wanted you early?"

"He didn't tell you? That stupid jerk took the night off again." She ducked under the red rope marking the line.

"I see. Well, I won't keep you waiting," he unlocked and opened the door with one hand, and held the crowd back with the other.

Someone in the line shouted, "That old dude's built tough!"

Zangan grinned, "Better believe it, kid."

Aeris smiled and slipped past the bouncer, "Thanks! See you later!" She skipped down the steps of the empty club and ran behind the bar. She slipped into the back room and stuffed her backpack into a cubby designated for her belongings. She walked back out and started setting up for the night.

**(Tifa, 5:04 p.m.)**

She and Reno sat side-by-side on her futon again, Barret on the couch and Yuffie in her papasan. The only difference from the morning was that Marlene now sat on Tifa's lap. "Okay," Reno slurred around his beer, "So what's so important this time?"

"This time…" Tifa was damn sure she'd build up more suspense than her redheaded cohort, "The news… is… downright… EXPLOSIVE!!!"

"Wah!" Yuffie squeaked at her bandmate's sudden outburst.

"Check this out, guys," the singer held out the address she'd heard on the radio. The others all examined it, including Marlene.

"Okaaay… It's an address in Sector 1… Big whoop," Yuffie yawned and fell back in her chair.

Tifa held up her index finger, "Not just any address. If we send our audition video to it, there's a chance we could appear in that new movie they're filming in Midgar!"

"Whaaat…!" the Wutaian guitarist jumped back to her feet.

"Uh-huh. The ad said they're looking for an authentic, rockin', garage band! I think Checkmate is perfect for the job! Don't you guys think so?" She held her hand out, palm down.

"Hell, yeah," Reno set his beerless hand on top of hers.

"Well, shit! Whata we still talkin' 'bout it fo?" Barret stacked his metallic hand on top of Reno's.

"Don't leave me out!" Yuffie slapped both hands on the drummer's.

"Yeah!" Marlene called out, not entirely sure of what was going on, set her hand on Yuffie's.

**(Zack, 5:20 p.m.)**

Zack looked into the mirror and tugged at his tie, trying to get it to look nice and still be comfortable. Finally, he gave up and succumbed to the noose. Angeal walked in, dressed in slacks and a t-shirt, "Evening, Zack."

"Yeah, yeah. If there's one thing I hate, it's these formal dinners with the director."

"Look on the bright side. You're new friend will be there."

"Who?" he cocked an eyebrow.

"Scarlet Dokuchitź."

The actor shuddered, "I can't stand that bitch. She's so full of herself."

"Hmm… Not unlike a certain actor I know…" he stroked his stubble-covered chin thoughtfully.

"Well, whoever _that_ is, give him a piece of my mind."

He gave a little salute, "Will do. Say… When's this dinner over?"

"I dunno. Hopefully by eight."

"Well, come see me when it's done. I need to talk to you," he punched his fist into his palm before grinning and walking out.

"A-Angeal! I was kidding!"

* * *

_Well, that's chapter one! Let me know what you think! Flames are okay, but if you want to yell at me, then at least have the courtesy to tell me what you hate. On the other hand, if you liked this so far, then by all means, let me know what you like so I can add more of that! If you want to review, feel free!_


	2. Chapter II

Hello, again!!! I just want to say, by a question of Valentine'sNinja, everyone in this story is the age they would be in Advent Children. If they don't actually have an age, I made one up. To my reviewers,

**Valentine'sNinja**: Boy, do I have plans for Yuffie now...

**DEORUDS the WEAPONS seven!**: I am charmed to think you enjoyed my tale so much! *Does weird curtsy* Thank you for the detailed review! I loved your 'Zack has never spoken truer words' comment! I hope to hear from you again!

**-siMpLe-reActiON-**: Thanks! I'll try to keep up with the updates every week!

Alright, here we go... Oh, wait, a quick warning. There is a little bit of lemony stuff in this chapter. Just a little bit, and it's not very descriptive. Just so you know!

* * *

_**Chapter II**_

_**Thursday evening…**_

The following takes place between 5:30 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.

**(Aeris, 5:34 p.m.)**

Within seconds after opening the club had filled up. Aeris kept herself busy keeping people's drinks full and lecherous men's hands off her. The bass sounded so loudly she couldn't even tell what song was playing half the time.

"Hey, beautiful! Howzabout some drinks down this end?"

She smiled sweetly and sauntered to the other end of the bar, taking the guy's order and getting his drinks, gracefully accepting his generous tip. A well-muscled man with black hair walked up and ordered for three. Aeris recognized him as a regular, but she didn't know his name. Before she could take time to ask, she was pulled down the bar to help another patron. _"We're so busy! I'll never forgive that idiot for taking off!"_ she thought as she ran back and forth, filling beer mugs and mixing fruity concoctions.

**(Cloud, 5:46 p.m.)**

Cloud sat at his regular table at the Lucky Girl. A friend of his, Jessie, sat across from him in the booth. Her boyfriend, Biggs, walked over with three drinks in his hand. He set one down in front of Cloud, another in the empty seat beside Jessie, and then he sat down and gave her a peck on the cheek before giving her her drink. Cloud smiled to himself behind his glass at their interaction. Their relationship was exactly the kind he wanted for himself, the kind that starts with dinner rather than a hotel room. That was the one negative trait he saw in Vincent. "You two lovebirds about done?" he shouted over the music.

"Maybe," Biggs replied nonchalantly.

"Not at your expense. Go find a girl of your own," Jessie gestured to the dance floor.

Cloud followed her hand and mused, "It's ironic, really. I spend most of my free time in a nightclub, yet I never bothered learning how to dance."

"Quit making excuses."

He shrugged, "What can I say? It's the truth."

"Eh, whatever."

Cloud downed the rest of his drink, "Well, I better go if I want to make it in time for my little spar with Kadaj."

Jessie glanced at her cell, "You have an hour…"

"I have to cross a full sector, plus I want to be there early."

"Anyone else gonna be there?"

"Vincent said he was busy, but I think the other two might be."

"Huh. Well, have fun."

"Will do," he stood and shoved his way through the crowd towards the exit.

**(Tifa, 5:57 p.m.)**

Tifa stood at the counter preparing dinner. She chopped some cucumbers and set them aside with the carrots and spinach. She gathered them up and spread them over the lettuce. She turned and flipped the hamburgers cooking on the electric griddle. The door burst open and Marlene and her friend from school came bursting in. Tifa called out to the children, "Whoa! Slow down!"

Marlene stopped and hid her hands behind her back apologetically, "Sorry, Tifa…"

The boy lowered his head, "We were just playing…"

The girl burst out laughing, "Ha ha! I was just showing Denzel a snake I found! Denzel's afraid of snakes!"

"I am not!"

"Are so!"

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Alright, that's enough," Tifa glared, arms crossed. The children looked up at her with wide eyes. "I don't care if you're afraid of snakes or not. Marlene, don't be pestering him about this, got it? Now go get washed up, it's almost time for dinner." The kids nodded and ran off towards the bathroom to clean up.

**(Zack, 6:27 p.m.)**

Zack slid a serrated knife through his steak with ease. He focused his full attention on cutting a bite-size piece, albeit a larger bite-size piece than most are used too, forking it and running it through the sauce on his plate before casually slipping it into his maw.

"Mr. Fair?"

"Huh?" he looked up guiltily. "I'm sorry, what're you saying, Mr. Tseng?"

"I said, isn't that great news?"

"_Crap! Knew I shoulda been listening…!"_ the raven-haired man nodded uncertainly, "Uh, yes, Sir. That's very good news."

Rufus started sniggering behind his napkin across the table and Scarlet slapped his arm, apparently insulted by something. Even Tseng allowed a snicker to escape his lips.

The prima donna looked crushed, "You too, Mr. Tseng?"

"Look on the bright side, Ms. Dokuchitź; at least we know Mr. Fair wasn't paying attention."

"I'm sorry, Sir, but how is that a bright side?"

Zack spoke up, utterly confused, "What exactly did I just agree to?"

Rufus answered, napkin still over his mouth, "Mr. Tseng wanted to know if you were listening, so he told us the script had been rewritten to give the viewers more scenes of you and Scarlet."

"So?"

Rufus coughed, "More -how shall I put this? -nude scenes."

"Oh," Zack felt his stomach drop, "That explains a lot."

"Why is that such a bad thing?" Scarlet sounded exasperated.

Zack and Rufus exchanged a glance and spoke at the same time, "Honestly…?"

Tseng waved a hand casually, "By the way, Mr. Fair; I decided to take you up on your suggestion."

"Huh?"

"To hire a girl from the set, of course."

**(Aeris, 6:48 p.m.)**

Aeris ran back and forth, trying to keep everyone satisfied, when she heard a loud, feminine squeal sound out from the direction of the door. _"Great, must be another smooth-talking pretty boy…"_ she thought to herself.

A very familiar voice spoke, "My apologies, Ladies. I do have things to accomplish here, tonight. Perhaps some other time?" a chorus of female screams being the man's reply. Boy, did Aeris know that voice. The divider to the bar lifted and a man with chin-length reddish-brown hair walked through, using his free hand to keep his fangirl army at bay. He nodded to the brunette behind the counter, "Evening, Aeris."

She glared, "Boy, do I have a few choice words for you, Genny."

"You wound me, Rissy. And here I thought you'd be glad to cover my shift while I handled negotiations," He took a girl's order and started mixing a margarita as he spoke.

She pulled two beers off the shelf beneath the bar and handed them to a patron, "To heck with that!" she paused, "Wait. What 'negotiations'?"

He grinned, "I just used my connections to get that new movie to film a scene here at the Lucky Girl."

Her face paled, "You mean Shattered!? Zack Fair's new movie!?" she almost screamed.

"Oh, great. So, you're one of _his_ groupies, eh?"

"You better believe it!" She silently cheered, _"I can't believe it! Zack Fair, here at the Lucky Girl! But… what 'connections' did Genesis use to get them to film here?"_ She knew he was up to no good during his free time, that he was involved in something dangerous. It didn't take a genius to figure that out when he came in to work almost every weekend with a terrible wound and an even worse excuse.

"Oh, my. I think I just lost every ounce of respect I ever had for you…"

She slapped his shoulder, "Oh, bug off! You never had any respect for me!"

He glanced at her sideways, handing a customer a piña colada, "You'd be surprised. You've managed to spend this much time around me and yet, you still remain outside of my grasp."

She shot him a smug smile, "I lost my heart long ago. I have nothing left to give."

"I bet you tell that to all the boys."

"Huh? That doesn't even make sense, Genny."

He sighed, "Please don't call me that…"

She grinned, mocking him, "Sorry, Genny!"

**(Cloud, 7:23 p.m.)**

The sound of metal hitting against metal echoed throughout the abandoned warehouse. Cloud ducked under the double-bladed Souba and rolled behind his opponent. The silver-haired teen spun quickly, catching the blond's sword between the blades of his own sword. He twisted and flipped backwards, thrusting the sword out of Cloud's hand. Kadaj grinned as the sword flew across the room and landed at the feet of their two onlookers.

The female screamed with anticipation, "Wow! He's totally kickin' yer ass!"

Cloud glared and jumped over Kadaj's incoming sword, landing on his feet and backflipping towards his own blade. He landed right in front of his First Tsurugi, on his hands and feet, knees bent and ready to pounce. He grabbed the handle and leapt forward, swinging his sword downward, towards the teen's skull. Kadaj flipped forward in a sort of misty-flip, landing directly on the blade itself.

The chubby man on the side laughed, "Wh-hoa! Never seen anyone do that before!"

Cloud flipped the blade in his hand, trying to throw off Kadaj's center of balance. Failing to knock off the man with cat-like stability, he reached up and, with his leather-sheathed hand, caught the incoming Souba by reflex. He gripped one of the blades, feeling it cut through his glove, and therefore his hand, and twisted his wrist, pulling the blade from his foe's hand. Kadaj flipped off of Cloud's sword and landed nimbly a few feet away. Cloud flipped the Souba in the air and caught the hilt. He examined it for a moment and wiped his blood on his pants before throwing it back to its rightful owner, who caught it with ease. They paused, staring each other down, waiting for the other to make the next move. They walked in circles, facing each other, blood dripping in a trail after Cloud. Finally, they lunged at each other, swords at the ready. A flash of red streaked through and a metallic hand caught the First Tsurugi while the Souba was caught on a very stylish three-barreled handgun. The two combatants eyed the man between them in shock.

Kadaj spoke, "Chief…"

He glared at the two of them, red scarf pulled over his nose and mouth, "I just can't leave you two alone, can I? Hypnos."

Kadaj straightened up, "Yes?"

Hypnos. The Greek God of Sleep and sometimes that of death as well. He was beseeched by Hera to put Zeus to sleep, but refused, not wanting to anger the god further. He eventually agreed, receiving the hand (in marriage) of one of the Graces in return. He lives in a dark cave within the underworld. Symbolizing Kadaj's defiant will and dark personality.

"Go get your blade cleaned…" he glanced at Cloud's blood-stained pants, "Properly."

"Right away!" Kadaj ran off towards the rusted cabinet where supplies were kept.

"Hydra."

The girl pointed a finger at herself innocently, "Me?"

Hydra. The nine-headed beast of Lerna, sought to be killed by Heracles (Hercules) as one of his twelve labors. When one head was removed, two would grow in its place. A true representation of the girl's stubborn personality.

"Yes. You go home. I'm sure you have much to attend to with the events this weekend," his scarf altered into what one might think was a smirk.

"Aye-aye!" she jumped off the stained couch and ran for the exit of the filthy building.

"Cetus."

The chubby man looked up.

Cetus. The sea monster sent by Poseidon to devour the fair Andromeda after her mother's vain boasts to the sea nymphs. Between the man's size and swimming ability, no name was more appropriate.

"Why didn't you stop this? We don't fight amongst ourselves."

"Sorry, Boss. I just wanted to see who would win." After receiving a dark look from Cloud over the other man's shoulder he quickly corrected himself, "Er, I mean, I wanted to see how long Hypnos could stand up to Blondie, here."

"Whatever. You're one of the more experienced members. I expect better behavior in the future."

"Yes, Sir," he slumped off towards the door.

He faced forward as he addressed the blond behind him, "Fenrir."

Cloud didn't bother looking up, "Yeah?"

Fenrir. The wolf who slew Odin at Ragnarok. Child of the trickster, Loki, and the frost giantess, Angrboda, alongside his siblings Hel, Queen of the Underworld, and Jormungand, the World Serpent. He was held back only by the chain known as Gleipner, constructed by the dwarves for this reason. The feral beast, the slayer of gods, seemed to be a perfect fit for the aspiring warrior. He was the only member whose name didn't thrive from Greek mythology, coming from that of Norse instead.

"This was your idea, wasn't it?"

He leaned on his sword, "I won't deny it."

"Shame on you, kid. I expected more from you," he turned to leave.

"Cerberus."

"Yeah?"

Cerberus. The three-headed canine gatekeeper of Hell. He alone kept those banished to the underworld from ever returning to the mortal realm. Those who crossed Vincent when he was angry received a fate similar to that of the banished.

"When can we use our real names around Ka- er, Hypnos?"

"When I say so."

"He already knows our names. What's the harm in telling him the other four's?"

"He has to get used to using our codenames. We can't have him spouting out our names while we're… on a mission."

"That's bullshit." Cloud was probably the only one who spoke so bluntly with Vincent. The rest of their group was too afraid of what the man could do to them.

"You wound me," he placed a hand over his heart with fake sadness.

"You know you just like being called Cerberus. Admit it."

He shrugged, "So what if I do?"

Cloud rolled his eyes, "I'm going back to the Lucky Girl. Wanna come?"

"Sure. I was starting to feel a little lonely." He smirked and Cloud resisted a gag.

**(Zack, 8:25 p.m.)**

Without bothering to turn on the lights, Zack walked back into his elaborate room and fell back on the bed.

"Welcome back."

"Ahh!" Zack jumped up and turned on his lamp. "What the hell're you doing in here!?"

Angeal pushed himself off of the wall were he'd been leaning and laughed. "I just came to tell you the settings department finally decided on a club for Ty's and Milidea's scene together."

"Oh… Millie, eh? My 'Mystery Girl'?"

"Yep."

"So… What's the place called? Maybe I've heard of it."

"I doubt it. Not very popular among your types. It's called the Lucky Girl. We start filming there on Saturday."

"_This_ Saturday?"

"Yep."

He groaned, "Man… Ah, well…"

"Why?"

"I was hoping to get some me-time in before I had to start the scenes with Scarlet."

Angeal only laughed and left.

**(Tifa, 8:45 p.m.)**

Tifa drove back to her place after dropping Marlene off at Barret's. She got out of the car singing one of her band's songs under her breath,

"Can't see it, can't hear it, can't taste it…

No-no, n-no, nooo…

Don't think it, don't sense it, don't 'spect it…

Love keeps comin',

Like an Avalanche…"

She looked around and noticed Reno's beat-up old taxi was still missing from the driveway, meaning he hadn't finished his quota for the night yet. She sighed and went inside, dropping her keys in the ceramic dish as she went. She thought to herself as she made her way to the garage and landed on her futon, _"Hmm… I should probably come up with an order for this gig… Lessee… We can start off with 'Fools in Love'… and then we can switch into 'Tyrants' and 'Lore of the Past'… 'Dreams' can go next… Then 'Avalanche'… And then we can do… 'Dancing Moonlight'! Hrm… That's six songs… I can come up with more later!"_ She grabbed a pencil off her nightstand and scribbled down the order she'd come up with so far.

She stood up and went into the kitchen. After filling up the kettle with water, she set it on the stove and turned it on. The singer walked over and pulled a box of instant hot cocoa out of the cabinet. She emptied one of the packets into a mug and slowly poured the steaming water over it. She picked up her mug and sat down on the couch. She set it down on the coffee table and picked up one of the many guitars lying around. She started strumming a little, with a melody that just came to her.

"What the hell is that?" the door opened and Reno walked in.

"I don't know. The start of our next song, maybe?" she grinned.

"Eh, whatever," he sniffed the air, "I smell chocolate." He looked Tifa in the eye and glared.

She laughed and held up her mug, "Kettle's still warm. Help yourself."

"Gee, thanks."

**(Aeris, 9:00 p.m.)**

Aeris kicked her feet back and forth while sitting on an empty, over-turned beer crate in the alleyway behind the bar. She leaned back and took a deep breath, letting out a satisfying, "Ahh…"

"Thought I could find you here."

"Huh?" Aeris turned around to a masculine figure with a cigarette between his lips and holding a lighter up to it. The brunette sighed and made a pouty face, "You know smoking's bad for you."

"I know," he finally lowered the lighter, snapped it shut and slid it back into his pocket.

Aeris shook her head, "What were you looking for me for?"

"Hm? I wasn't looking for you for anything… Why?"

"You said you were looking for me out here."

"Nah, just wanted a smoke. You know how those damn clubs drive me to."

"Oh. And yet you own one," she giggled.

"Ah, shut yer damn trap, girlie! It's bad enough I always get this shit from Shera, now I gotta hear from you, too?"

"You hired me," her voice was almost innocent enough to make him feel guilty.

"I did it for yer pretty face! You bring in all the male customers!"

"And Genesis does a fine job of getting the females." She made a disgusted face.

"I'll be damned, too. When he first signed up fer the job, I didn't think he was nothin' more than a poetry-'citin' little fairy boy."

"He's certainly expanded his horizons, huh?"

"The little bastard…" he grinned around his cigarette, "Well, he brings 'em in; what else can I say?"

"You're worse than he is…"

"Hey! Least I got married!" He thrust out his left hand towards her, then noticing it was covered by a glove, he shrugged and slid it in his pocket.

"Shera's too good for you."

"What the hell d'you mean by that?"

"Nothing, Mr. Cid. Well, my break's over! Better not keep Genny waiting!" she smiled sweetly and ran inside.

**(Zack, 9:26 p.m.)**

Zack looked in the mirror and flipped down the collar of his button down shirt with a snap. He pulled on the front of his open blazer and slipped on a pair of sleek black boots that disappeared beneath his jeans. He slid a pair of sleek, dark sunglasses on the end of his nose, then pushed them up with his middle and forefinger, staring at himself in the mirror all the while. He walked out into the hall and leaned into the room next door, "Well, I'm off! See you later, Angeal!"

The man looked up from the papers he was staring at and looked at the irresponsible actor, "Have fun. Be back before midnight. You have a heavy schedule again tomorrow."

Zack gave a mocking salute, "Yes, _Mom_. I'll try."

Angeal shook his head as the man left and called after him, "I swear, for being Gaia's most famous actor, you have the mind of a five-year-old." Zack's laughter was his only reply.

**(Tifa, 9:53 p.m.)**

Tifa slid the CD with their audition video on it into a yellow envelope and sealed it. After writing the address on the front, she set it on the counter to take to the post office in the morning. Afterwards, she picked up a guitar and went out to the rickety front porch. She figured they were lucky to live above the plates, but their home was pushing it when it came to luxury. She sat down on the porch swing and began strumming to one of her favorite songs that her band had written. "I call this one 'Tyrants'…" she started off the way she would when on stage. She strummed the opening with an acoustic sound and started singing:

"They started…

With the people in mind…

The blame it…

On the demand of the land…

They don't get it…

They're drainin' the world

They don't get it…

They're killin' us all…

They just don't get it…!

They think they have the right…!

To call us impudent…!

They think they know it all…!

So tell me…

Why do they act so damn superior?

All they are is a bunch a no-good tyrants…"

She stopped singing when the noisy old woman next door started to shout. Tifa called back an insincere apology and went inside.

**(Cloud, 10:18 p.m.)**

Cloud sat in his group's regular booth at the Lucky Girl, listening to Biggs, Jessie, Vincent and Vincent's latest hanger-on chat away. His elbow stood propped up on the table, with his chin slumped into his palm. He looked down into his empty glass and called out over the music, "I'm all out, anyone else want a refill?"

"Sure," Vincent replied coolly, his arm over the shoulder of his latest 'friend'.

Biggs looked at Jessie, who shook her head, and said, "Nah, I think we're wasted enough."

Cloud nodded, "Alright, be back in a few." He shoved through the crowd, not caring if he bothered anyone. He made his way to the bar and grabbed the back of some guy's collar and threw him off the stool, taking his place. He shouted to get the bartender's attention, "Hey, Barkeep! What's it take to get some drinks?"

The guy he'd thrown off the stool started cursing and went to throw a punch at Cloud, but he turned on the stool and caught his fist. The blond shifted his hand so he had a hold on the guy's wrist and pulled forward, lifting his knee to meet with the his stomach as he fell forward. Cloud turned back to the bartender, who was standing there with a bemused expression. She spoke, "Are you the new under-paid bouncer we never hired?"

"What?"

"That guy drank his limit already. I was trying to find an excuse to get rid of him, but you did a pretty fine job of that yourself."

Cloud shrugged, "He was in my seat."

Her smile widened, "So what can I get you?"

"Junon Rush with rum."

She pulled a bottle and a drink shaker off the shelf below the bar and asked, "Night Owl?"

"Huh?"

"To drink a J-Rush at this hour, you must not sleep at night."

"Nah, caffeine never bothered me. I can sleep anywhere, anytime."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She looked up at him after adding something to the mix, when the multi-colored lights from the dance floor graced her face and without meaning to, he asked, "Is your mother in town?"

"Well. That's a turn-off and a half."

He realized it was probably too late to back down, so he continued, "I'm serious. A woman came into my shop today and, I swear, she looked almost just like you."

"Did you catch her name?" she set the drink down in front of him.

"No…" he lifted the glass to his lips and felt the immediate jolt of the caffeine, despite his bold words.

"Then let's pretend that wasn't her, okay?"

"Uh, sure. I guess."

"Yeah. Clubs aren't the kind of place where you talk about parents; know what I mean?" She leaned on her elbows and rested her face in her hands, staring at him intently.

He tried to enjoy his drink, but her eyes never left him. Finally he set down the glass and asked her, "Yes?"

Her smile didn't fade, "Nothing."

"Right…" he took another drink. "Can I get a Kalm brew while I'm here?"

"Sure!" she picked up the bottle and rested it against the counters edge and slammed down on the cap, popping it open. "Here you go!"

"Thanks," he handed her a thousand-gil note and stood to leave.

"Hang on! Can I least ask your name? You come in here pretty often with your friends, right?"

"Yeah."

"And…?"

"What's yours?"

"Aeris," she giggled.

"Cloud," he turned and wandered back into the crowd.

**(Aeris, 10:42 p.m.)**

Aeris watched the blond man slip into the throng of people and disappear from sight. "Cloud, huh?" she mumbled under her breath, "What a weird name."

Genesis walked to her end of the bar. "Something wrong, Rissy?" he asked as he picked up a bottle of whiskey from the shelf.

"Nothing you need to worry about," she replied huffily.

"I wouldn't worry about you anyway."

She stuck her tongue out at him and turned when a patron shouted for a drink. She continuously scanned the crowd for Cloud and his friends. Mostly Cloud, but occasionally his friends too.

**(Zack, 10:59 p.m.)**

Zack drove up to one of his regular hot-spots with a grin. He got out of his stylish Shin-Ra Inc. Gabbiani sports car. He passed the keys to the young valet and winked. The girl blushed and ran over to park the car after giving him his ticket stub. He smiled and walked into the sparkling white members-only club and spoke to the waiter standing at the podium, "Hey, I'm here to see a man by the name of Deusericus, is he here yet?"

He looked down at the guest list, "Ah, yes, he is, Sir. And you are…?"

Zack tipped down his sunglasses to peer over them, "Are you new here?"

"I am. I just started this Monday."

Zack wrapped an arm around the guy's shoulder in a buddy-buddy way, "Then I'll forgive you. Hey, Chief," he tapped the passing maître d' on the arm, "Tell my buddy here who I am."

The maître d' managed to conceal his disdain for the most part as he said, "This would be none other than Mr. Zack Fair."

The new waiter's face paled, "I-I'm so sorry, Sir! I never meant…!"

"Nah, we're cool," he patted the waiter's shoulder and pointed a finger at him with his other hand, "Just don't let it happen again, 'kay?"

"Y-yes, Sir!"

"Now, then, Mr. Deusericus?"

"Ah, this way, Sir…" The waiter gestured in the direction of the man's table and walked off, leading Zack towards it. After a moment a table with a blond man wearing a neatly tailored suit and a pair of glasses seated at it came into view.

As they approached, the man looked up and stood, "Evening, Mr. Fair."

"Uh, likewise, Mr. Deusericus."

He laughed, "Call me Lazard. Your agent said you got tongue cramps trying to pronounce my last name."

"Yeah… Took me forever to memorize your name… Oops, it's gone."

Lazard laughed again, "Have a seat Mr. Fair."

"Thanks… So, why'd you wanna see me?" He turned to the waiter who was still waiting to be excused, "Costa del Solace, with one of those little umbrella things."

"Right away!" he left hurriedly.

Lazard watched the young man leave and then turned to Zack, "I was wondering…"

**(Tifa, 11:40 p.m.)**

"Yeah! Eat Tri-Force and die!" Tifa shouted.

"Damn it!" Reno yelled and threw his Wii remote before realizing it was attached to his wrist. "I always win with Metaknight!"

"Funny. 'Cause that's the first time I won with Link."

"Agh… You got lucky… If that Smash Ball hadn't shown up when it did…"

"Are you threatening me? Because I think I hear a rematch coming."

"You know it! Me with Metaknight, versus you with Snake!"

"You sure you want to test my prowess with him?"

"I've beaten you before when you were Snake!"

"Hm…" she tapped her chin thoughtfully, "I recall differently."

"Now you're just makin' stuff up!"

"No, I'm not. Alright. I'm Snake," she moved her cursor and selected her character.

"An' I'm Metaknight still."

"Where to?"

"Final Destination."

"It's on."

**(Aeris, 12:21 a.m.)**

By the time the midnight hour had passed, Aeris started to forget about the blond as her thoughts filled with excitement at the thought of meeting Zack Fair. She went about her nightly duties without really paying attention. She yawned and glanced at the giant, neon clock above the bar, _"12:30? That's it? I was hoping it was almost time to go home…"_ she couldn't resist a pouty face, complete with The Lip. She reached under the bar for a beer and found the shelf empty. She smiled at the patron, "Hang on a sec, I gotta run to the back an' grab some more. Be right back!" She turned towards the back room and caught Genesis's eye, silently letting him know to watch the whole bar for a minute. He nodded and she jogged through the doors to supply room. She grabbed another crate of beer and slipped back out into the incredibly loud bar. She set the crate on the floor by the shelf and picked up a bottle and popped the cap off on the side of the bar and handed it to the guy who'd wanted it in the first place. He paid and walked back into the crowd. Aeris knelt on the ground and started arranging the bottles under the bar. She jumped when the music suddenly stopped.

"Alright, everyone, listen up!"

She looked up in the direction of the voice and found Cid standing up by the DJ booth with his arms crossed and his regular cigarette between his lips. Aeris had no idea how he managed to talk without dropping it and burning the place down.

He cleared his throat, "Okay, jus' got a little somethin' to say… This Saturday, the film crew of 'Shattered' is gonna be headin' out this way to film their next scene. The Lucky Girl'll still be open to the public, but I want everyone to be on their best behavior. You break anythin' of theirs an' yer payin' for it."

Aeris raised her eyebrows. That was the most she'd heard her boss say without a cuss word.

"Oh, yeah, one other thing. Their lookin' fer a girl to play a part in their movie. So, girls, make sure ya look yer best. Guys, if ya don't want yer chicks makin' out with Zack Fair, I suggest you tie 'em up and lock 'em to a booth or somethin'." He jumped off the stand and the music started up almost immediately.

Five words registered in Aeris's mind, _"Make… out… with… Zack Fair…?"_ She felt herself growing light-headed and started to faint. She felt a strong arm catch her as she faded out of consciousness.

**(Cloud, 12:47 a.m.)**

Cloud sat sideways in the booth so his back was against the wall and his legs were stretched out on the seat next to him. He watched the couples bump and grind out on the dance floor and cocked his head, remembering Jessie's words. He started watching how the men moved, memorizing their motions. He chuckled to himself, knowing how Vincent would be taunting him for learning how to dance this way. Luckily, he'd left with his girl a half-hour ago. Biggs and Jessie were soon to follow, leaving Cloud all alone to take in his Junon Rush. He couldn't help but imagine himself out there dancing with that bar hostess in the pink tank top_. "What was her name? Erin? Erica? Aerith? Something like that… Oh, well… She was kinda cute, though…"_ he thought, still watching the couples move. He looked in his glass; his third J-Rush, _"Good thing the shop is closed tomorrow… I'm gonna have a massive hangover…"_

**(Zack, 1:03 a.m.)**

He sat in his silver Gabbiani with his hands on the wheel and rested his head on the back of them. He thought about his conversation with Lazard, _"Damn… That ruined my mood… Guess I'll just stay in tonight…"_ He walked to the elevator and rode it upstairs to the eighty-fifth floor of the hotel and slid his keycard through the slot and the light turned green, he clicked the door open and walked into the luxury suite. He made his way to the bedroom, where he found the same woman from the night before waiting for him with a bottle of wine and two crystal glasses.

She smiled, "Would you like a drink, Zack?"

He returned the gesture, his mood suddenly lifted, "Allow me." He took the bottle from her and she held the glasses out, waiting for him to open it. He walked over to the table on the side and picked up a corkscrew. He held it up with a grin, looking pleased with himself. She gave him a small chuckle in return. He opened the bottle and poured the red wine into the glasses, he set the bottle inside the ice bucket and took a glass from her, sitting beside her on the bed. They clinked their glasses and started drinking.

**(Aeris, 1:26 a.m.)**

"Uhh…" Aeris slowly felt consciousness seep back into her system. She sat up and looked around. She was sitting on the floor of the stock room and a brown-haired woman was beside her, eyes full of worry. "I'm okay, Ms. Shera. I just…"

Shera gave her a 'mother' look and asked, "Have you been eating enough?"

"Uh-huh. I just…" a sudden realization hit her, "I need to get back out there!"

The other woman rested her palms on Aeris's shoulders to keep her down, "Easy. Cid's out there helping Genesis. You just relax."

"Mr. Cid can tend bar?"

"How do you think he got the Lucky Girl started?"

"Huh… Somehow, I didn't see that one coming."

Shera stood up, "Well, when you go back out there, make sure you thank Genesis."

"Huh? Why?"

"He carried you back here. He looked pretty worried too."

"Wow… Genny's capable of concern?"

"You shouldn't judge people before you get to know them."

"I don't! I've known Genesis for two years now!"

She shrugged her shoulders, "You can talk to someone, but that doesn't mean you know them."

"I know that! It's just… He's usually teasing me whenever he can."

"Maybe he likes you."

"You're the third person to tell me that today. I doubt it. Friends, maybe. But more than that…? I don't think so."

"Well, that's up to you to decide. Just make sure you talk to him."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Ms. Shera. I think I'm fine now."

**(Tifa, 1:47 a.m.)**

The cry of a Final Smash going off filled the air and Tifa jumped awake, looking around. She raised her arm to rub her eyes and hit herself in the chin with her Wii remote. She was still on the couch; the TV was still on, playing demos of its own accord. She glanced over and saw Reno laying in the seat next her, his mouth hanging open a bit in a silent snore. She giggled and looked back at the coffee table, which was almost covered with empty beer bottles. She sighed and stood, almost falling over from the lack of activity combined with the overdose of beer. She picked up the bottles and carried them to the sink, setting them down gently, so as to not wake her roommate. Then she went back into the den/living room and turned off the Wii. She managed to undo the wrist strap on Reno's remote without waking him and set both of their remotes down beside the system. Then she took a blanket off the back of the couch and laid it over the redhead and tucked it around his shoulders. She took a deep breath and stretched her back. She then made her way to the garage, where she swapped her halter top for a t-shirt and her skinny jeans for a pair of baggy shorts and fell into bed; not even bothering to get under the covers.

**(Zack, 1:52 a.m.)**

Zack drained the last drop from his glass and turned to the woman. He grinned and threw his glass over his shoulder and twisted so he was straddling her. She giggled and started unbuttoning his shirt. He shifted so she could side his shirt off his shoulders and pressed his lips to her neck. She slid her way out from between his legs and made for the pillows, untying the strap to her top as she went. Zack was quick to follow and, sitting on his feet, he caught his fingers in the pockets of her pants and tugged. She gave a delighted scream and unbuttoned them, making it possible for them to come down. He jumped on her back as she took off her shirt and threw it across the room. He grinned again, flipping up the covers beside them and wrapped his arms around her. He rolled so they were on the sheets and pulled the blankets back over them, noting that he'd lost his pants somewhere along the way.

**(Cloud, 2:07 a.m.)**

Cloud sighed and stood with the rest of the crowd as the Lucky Girl started to close. He made his way to the door and walked down a block to find his motorcycle, the aptly named Fenrir. He got on, hoping he wasn't too wasted to drive. He managed to get back home while only setting off one car alarm, impressing himself. He was a reckless driver even when sober. He jammed the key into the lock of the back door and turned it. He walked in and closed and locked the door behind him, and then made his way upstairs. He vaguely remembered throwing off his shirt and pants before falling in bed wearing only his boxers and an undershirt.

**(Aeris, 2:12 a.m.)**

As the last of the patrons filtered out, Aeris looked back and forth between Cid and Genesis while Shera went about with her nightly ritual of checking bottles to see how much liquor was sold, making sure Aeris and Genesis got their full tips. At first, Cid had tried to stop her, but eventually learned just to let her go about with her routine.

Cid turned back to his bartenders, "Okay. I'm gonna need you two here all day Saturday to help the damn film crew set up. I'll have Zangan here, too. Make sure yer here no later than nine, got it?"

"Yep!" Aeris chirped while Genesis simply nodded.

"Good." He turned and went into the back room, and before the doors finished shutting, Aeris saw him go out into the alleyway behind the bar, most likely for a smoke.

"So…" Aeris turned to Genesis, "Ms. Shera told me you brought me to the back room?"

He shook his head, exasperated, "I wasn't just going to leave a woman on the floor. Even if she is a pain in my ass."

"Well, thank you." She felt the heat rise in her cheeks, "I owe you one."

"Don't bother."

"Alright, how's this?" she leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"It'll do… for now," he gave her a flirty smirk.

Shera walked over, "Okay! Here you go, Genesis. And these are your tips for the night, Aeris. Good night guys!"

"Will do!" Aeris called out on the way to the door.

Genesis walked next to her, "Hey, you have a ride home?"

"I'll take the bus. Like always."

He glanced at his cell, "You mean the two-thirty bus that left five minutes ago?"

"Whaaat!? Oh, phooey! Ah, well. I've walked it before."

"I can drive you. You're in Sector Four, right?"

"Well, yeah, but that's way out there…"

"I live on the edge between Sectors Three and Four. So, really, it's not out of the way at all."

Shera's words from earlier in the night came back to her, _"You can talk to someone, but that doesn't mean you know them."_ She turned back to Genesis, "Thanks, I'd really appreciate that."

He gave her his trademark smirk and led her to his car, a red, two-seated convertible. She climbed into the front seat and held her backpack on her lap. He got into the driver's side and turned it on. They took off down the street towards Sector Four.

The next thing she knew, he was poking her in the side, waking her up. "Huh..? Wha?"

"We're in Sector Four now. Which way to your place?"

Still half asleep, she mumbled, "The university… Take Eighth Street and follow it until you get to Shaman Avenue… Turn left and go on 'til the dorms come into sight. If you could drop me off there, that'd be nice…"

"Alright…"

She felt herself fade out again until Genesis nudged her again. He looked at her, "You sure you don't want me to walk you up?"

She gave a half-hearted chuckle, "I live in the girls dorms. No men allowed after ten…"

"If you're sure…"

"I could get expelled if I let you bring me up. Besides, there's elevators… I'll manage. Thanks for the ride…" she climbed out of the car before adding, "Genny."

He sighed, "Goodnight, _Rissy_."

She giggled and made her way to the eighth floor and opened her door as quietly as she could. As expected, Elena was already asleep and the only light was that of the moon seeping in through the window. Aeris dropped her backpack on the floor, out of the way, and made her way to the window and peeked out. She wasn't at all surprised to see that Genesis's car had gone. She closed the curtains and dropped onto her mattress.

* * *

I don't think the demos in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (which I do not own) are smart enough to grab Smash Balls... but whatever. Please review! -OCV


	3. Chapter III

Hello, my friends! Here we have chapter three! I'm sorry it's late... I had finger injuries and couldn't type quite as quickly as usual.

I should tell you that you should be ready for ANY male-female pairing.

To my lone reviewer, **Valentine'sNinja**... Thank you so much for your review! I apologize, but I felt there should be a little more... action... on Friday.

_**Chapter III**_

_**Friday…**_

The following takes place between 6:20 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.

**(Cloud, 6:28 a.m.)**

A loud thump sounded, jerking Cloud awake. His eyes flew open and he regretted it immediately. The sunlight poured in through the unshielded window and blinded him, making his headache worse than it already was. He grabbed his pillow and pulled it down over his head in an attempt to block out both the noise and the light, all the while regretting the fact that he forgot to close the blinds last night. Another loud crash came from the kitchen, forcing Cloud to roll out of bed, thinking, _'Okay… One of three things could be happening. One, we're being robbed. Two, Vincent decided to crash on our couch again. Or three, Luc actually woke up before the sun rose. Three is out of the question… It'll be a cold day in hell when that happens…'_ He made his way out of his room without bothering to get dressed and grabbed one of his side blades in the process.

(A/N: Side Blades: The small swords with the gear-like function in the hilt. They attach to the side of the First Ken, and one is used in the final fight against Kadaj in AC)

He walked out and pointed his sword in the direction of the noise without opening eyes. He heard a female scream in response and immediately covered his ears.

Lucrecia placed a hand over her heart, "Cloud! You scared me!"

"Damn it! Keep it down!" he pressed his palms over his ears to keep the noise out.

Her expression changed from panic to worry in seconds, "Cloud… How much did you drink last night?"

"None of your business…" he hissed through clenched teeth, "A better question is, why the hell are you up so early?"

She let her tone drop as she got the aspirin out of the closet and handed it to him, "I have to go to Sector Four to speak at the university, remember? They're supplying a room for me, so I'll be staying there for the next five days."

He took the bottle from her, "Oh, yeah." He made his way over to the sink and filled a glass with water before taking a couple pills.

She crossed her arms in disappointment, and then noticed the mark on her brother's arm. Before she could help herself she shouted, "What is that, Cloud!?" She pointed towards his left forearm.

Cloud scowled at the volume her voice took and didn't even look, "Probably a bug bite."

"Those are some talented bugs…"

He glanced at his shoulder and grimaced, "Shit."

"That's right, shit. How long have you had that?"

Cloud kept his attention on the tattoo of the wolf with 'Fenrir' inscribed in a gothic font beneath it, "It's nothing. I got drunk and I apparently let Vincent go wild with an ink gun."

She took a deep breath, "If you say so…" She glanced at the clock, "Crap! I have to go! My train leaves at seven! See you Tuesday! I expect you to pick me up! Oh, and this conversation isn't over!"

"I'm twenty-three friggin' years old! I think I can make my own decisions!"

Cloud watched her as she ran out the door, and then walked back into his room and fell back into bed.

**(Aeris, 10:04 a.m.)**

She ran into her second class of the day a few minutes late. Despite that, she was still one of the first ones there. She sighed as she slid into her desk, _"One class down, two to go! Luckily, my only three classes today were at nine, ten and eleven; so it's like, bam! Bam! Bam! And I'm done! Then I can spend the day with Mom and Dad… Huh… I wonder if that was Mom that that Cloud guy saw…"_

"Aeris!"

"Huh?" she looked to her left to see the student next to her holding the attendance sheet towards her, "Oh! I'm sorry! Kinda phased out for a second there!" The girl smiled and turned back to the instructor.

**(Tifa, 10:43 a.m.)**

Tifa knelt on the floor in front of the toilet. She leaned over as she felt another rush nausea overtake her. Reno came up through the open door behind her and held a glass of water next to her. She reached up and took it from him. She took a long gulp as he reached past her to hit the flusher. She turned to him, glaring, "Reno, I hate you."

He chuckled at her tone, "How come?"

"Because beer doesn't seem to bother you the next day."

"Guess I got lucky."

"Doesn't stop me from hating you."

He grinned, "Deal with it, Princess. Alright, hurry up with your barf, we gotta get ready for the gig tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah…" she moved to stand, then felt another wave and leaned over the Porcelain Prince one more time.

**(Zack, 11:26 a.m.)**

Zack squinted under the light and felt two pairs of hands grab him and pull him out of the trunk. He glared at the two men, one of which was unmistakably bald, as they dropped him on the ground and waited for him to stand up. He raised his lip in a snarl and Rude pulled a desert eagle out of his suit jacket and pointed it at Zack. He ordered in a low tone, "Move."

"Bastard," Zack muttered as he attempted to stand without his hands. A hand grabbed his forearm and started guiding him towards their boss. The bald guy kept the gun pointed at him, ready to shoot if necessary. They led him to a room in the abandoned factory where Rufus sat with Scarlet behind him.

Rufus took one look at Zack and gave a disgusted snarl, "You have been a thorn in my side for far too long, Mr. Garcia. But no more." He nodded to Rude, who grabbed Zack by the arm and dragged him off.

**(Aeris, 11:58 a.m.)**

She skipped up to her dorm and ran up the stairs. She threw the door to her room open to find Elena absent. She shrugged and threw down her backpack, pulling her wallet out and stuffing it into the pocket of her jeans. She looked out the window and groaned. She ran back downstairs, out the door and over to the brown-haired man waiting beside a red convertible, "Genesis! What're you doing here for?"

"I just came by to make sure you were alright. You didn't look so great last night…"

"I'm fine! But my parents are on their way and they don't know I work in a bar, so you have to-"

"Aeris!" a woman with long brown hair and bright green eyes came down the sidewalk with a man with brown hair and a moustache.

"Too late…" Aeris muttered under her breath while Genesis shot her an amused glance, "Be prepared for an interrogation…"

Her mother ran over and gave her a hug, then turned to Genesis, giving him a quick once-over, "Is this your boyfriend, Rissy?"

Genesis couldn't hold back the chuckle as Aeris replied, "No, Mom. This is Genesis Rhapsodos from work. Genesis, these are my parents, Doctor Gast and Ifalna Faremis."

Genesis gave a short bow, "A pleasure. 'Rissy' has said so much about you."

"Have you, now?" Ifalna gave her daughter a questioning glance before glancing down and remembering the flowers in her hands, "These are for you, Sweetie!"

Aeris took the bouquet of Faith Lilly's from her mother, buried her nose in them and inhaled deeply, "They're beautiful, Mom! I'll go put them in some water and then we can go get lunch! Genesis, scram!"

"You can join us if you like, Genny. Can I call you 'Genny'?"

"I'd really rather you didn't…" he replied as Aeris jumped in, "He loves it when people call him 'Genny'! Don't you, Genny?"

He let his head drop in defeat and climbed into his car, "I'll follow you…"

**(Tifa, 12:26 p.m.)**

Tifa sat on her futon once again with Reno beside her. She drained a bottle of water waiting for her friends to arrive. Barret wandered in through the open garage door and dumped a pile for squealing hair on Tifa's lap. She screamed before noticing, "Marlene!? What're you doing here for? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Nope! We got done early today!"

"How come?"

"Some holiday, or sumtin'," Barret mumbled as he sat down on the worn couch.

"Oh, yeah…" Reno pulled out a soda and handed it to Marlene, "It's some dead guy's birthday, isn't it?"

Tifa rolled her eyes, "Probably. It seems like they have a lot of those. Hey! Don't you be giving Marlene caffeine!"

"Heh heh… Marlene caffeine…" Yuffie snickered as she wandered in, hands full of plastic bags.

"Are those our costumes?"

"Yep!"

Tifa, knowing from past experiences, shooed Marlene off to the kitchen for ice cream. She sighed, "Alright, do your worst…"

"This gig's theme… Suits! …with a twist!" she peeked in one bag, then threw it at Reno, looked into another, tossed it to Barret, checked the third one, lowered it on her elbow, then chucked the last one in Tifa's direction.

Everyone started going through their bags at once. Reno was the first to comment, "Hey! Where's the buttons on my shirt!?"

Barret was next, "Who wears cargo shorts wit a suit?"

Finally, Tifa added her piece, "Yuffie, I think my pants are missing… All I have is a button-up shirt with the bottom half of the buttons missing, a blazer, some sort of belt thing and a pair of ankle boots with eighty inch heels."

Yuffie burst into laughter, "Okay! One at a time! Reno, you're all we have to attract the young female audiences; so suck it up and show some skin! Barret, I tried to compromise… You said it gets hot and sweaty drummin' all night, so I gave you shorts… And Tifa? That belt thing _is_ your skirt…"

Tifa reacted first, "What!? There is no way in hell I am going onstage dressed in this tiny thing! What kind of skank do you think I am?"

"Geez, cool it, Teef… Reno attracts the girls, you and I get the boys! See! My threads have next to microscopic shorts!" she dug in her bag and pulled out a pair of tiny black short shorts.

"That's nothing compared to what you gave me!"

"Alright, fine!" Yuffie reached back into her bag and came out with some black material. She threw it to Tifa, who caught it easily.

She examined the ruffled, mid-thigh black with a white plaid pattern skirt. She felt a relived smile cross her face, "This is much better, Yuffie."

"Yeah, I figured you'd be all, 'WTF!' about the skirt, so I made a second one."

"Made?" Tifa fingered the mesh fabric.

"Okay, fine! Bought another skirt!"

Marlene came skipping back in with a bowl of chocolate chip ice cream, "All set!"

"Good!" Tifa ruffled the girl's hair, "'Cause we just finished our boring conversation." She shot looks at the others to keep them quiet.

Reno and Barret started mumbling something incoherent. Yuffie just laughed.

Tifa looked at the girl in her lap, "You took an awful long time for getting ice cream…"

"Oh, yeah. Denzel called and asked me if I wanted to go to his filming today. Can I?"

"Alone?"

"No, he said you could come, too, if you want."

She looked at the rest of her group, "We need to practice for our gig tomorrow."

Reno rolled his eyes, "Go, Teefs. If we don't know our own songs by now, we deserve what's coming."

"You sure?"

"Yeah… Just if you meet Scarlet Dokuchitź, get her autograph."

**(Zack, 12:49 p.m.)**

Zack grabbed a towel from the assistant on the side of the set and started drying off his face. Angeal walked over to him, laughing, "If only the women could see you now…"

Zack grinned, "Even soaked, they'd still think I'm sexier than you."

"This isn't a competition, Zack."

"You know…" he glanced in a mirror, "I think I might actually _be_ sexier when I'm wet…"

"Zack, I think you need a reality check…"

"Hey… Maybe the director'll consider making my grand escape from the lake longer…"

"Zack, snap out of it…"

Zack ran a hand through his drenched hair, "Hmm…"

"Zack, I'm warning you…"

"You think Mr. Tseng'll consider it?"

_*Slap!*_

"Angeal! What the heck!?"

**(Aeris, 1:03 p.m.)**

Ifalna skipped out of Bahamut's licking an ice cream cone. Gast followed with a cone of his own, while Aeris and Genesis lagged behind with chocolate and strawberry sundaes. Ifalna kept chattering about whatever it was that Aeris had zoned out a long time ago. Genesis leaned over to the younger girl and whispered in her ear, "Goddess, I can't wait 'til we reach the alcohol…"

Despite her embarrassment, Aeris let out a giggle, "Dork."

He feigned hurt, "You wound me…"

"Aww… Is poor Genny upset?" she stuck her lip out in sarcastic sadness.

"Hardly…"

Without really thinking about it, Aeris climbed into the passenger seat of Genesis's car. He raised an eyebrow, "Expecting free rides, are we?"

"Well, my parents have to get back out to Sector Seven almost right away…"

"Why?" he leaned one hand on the door, the other on the windshield.

"It's almost Kwehkers's feeding time."

"Who?"

"Kwehkers. The pet chocobo of my family friend that my parents are house-sitting for.

"What?"

"A family friend who lives in Sector Seven. His name's Nanaki. Well, Kwehkers is more like my pet chocobo, but since the bugger's not allowed on campus, and he'd freeze up North with my parents, Nanaki takes care of him. But, he's out visiting his family in Cosmo Canyon for awhile, so he asked my parents to watch Kwehkers. Make sense?"

"Honestly…? No." He finally gave up and sat down, seeing as to how her parents had already left.

"Oh, well."

"What kind of answer is that?"

**(Tifa, 1:33 p.m.)**

Tifa got out of her car at the destination supplied by Denzel's agent. She looked at the crummy warehouse and helped Marlene out of the passenger side. They made their way to the doors, Tifa's only clue being all the semi's and vans parked outside. She tapped the first person she could find on the shoulder, holding Marlene's hand all the while, "Is this the set for 'Shattered'?"

He looked at all the filming equipment scattered about, "What do you think?"

"We were invited by Denzel to watch…"

"Denzel? You mean Denzel Falsh, the actor playing Phil Garcia?"

"Yeah. Could you let him know Marlene and Tifa are here?"

"I guess so. Wait here." He ran off towards the trailers parked on the side.

She looked at her sister, "Excited?"

**(Cloud, 1:59 p.m.)**

Cloud rolled out of bed for the second time today. He stood up and stumbled into the kitchen, picked up a glass and filled it with water. He chugged it as quickly as he could, refilled it, and drained it again. He grabbed the bottle of aspirin and took another two. He scowled at his reflection in the kitchen window and raised his lip in a snarl at his bed-tousled appearance. He jumped when the phone started ringing with the stupid beeping tone Lucrecia had set. Wanting only to end the noise, he walked over and picked up the cordless extension, "H'lo?"

He listened to the man on the other end before replying, "Hey, Vincent… Cell's off… Yeah… No… What? Tch... Where? …You gotta be kidding me! Why the hell would we go there? …Yeah, I know she's one of us. But, what the hell, Vincent…? Because you said so? How lame is that? Honestly, you wanna waltz right into his turf and watch a friggin' show? Goddess… What the friggin' hell? Yeah… I'll be there! Make sure she knows she owes me- us- big time!" He pressed the 'end call' button and slammed the phone down into the cradle, "Frick."

**(Zack, 2:12 p.m.)**

He walked out his trailer, ready for his next scene. He'd sat around, bored out of his mind while Denzel filmed his scene with Rude and Scarlet. He wandered around, having just received the ten minute warning, when he noticed two girls, one young, the other beautiful, walking past. He caught sight of the guest passes hanging around their necks and grinned. He made his way over to them, behind them at this point, and spoke out loud, "S'cuse me, Miss, do you know where I could find the director?"

The older girl jumped and turned around, "Oh! You scared me!"

"Sorry… I didn't mean to." He flashed his boyish smile at the pair of them, moreso the older girl. The drop-dead gorgeous girl. He thought, _'Damn…! I wasn't expecting to find such a beauty! That stupid blonde was getting boring, anyway…'_

"I'm sorry, what was it you wanted?"

"You know, I don't remember… Oh, yeah," he thrust his hand out, "I'm Zack."

She took his hand, "Tifa. This is my sister, Marlene. Denzel Falsh invited us."

"That so? Well, maybe the four of us could get somethin' to eat later."

"Are you friends with Denzel, too?"

The little girl, Marlene, pulled on her sister's arm. Tifa leaned down and the younger whispered to the older for a minute. Zack watched, waiting. Suddenly, after a bunch of hushed conversing and urgent pointing in his direction, Tifa's eyes widened. She looked up to meet with Zack's smile, and gave an apologetic smile of her own. She managed, "You're… Zack Fair? _The_ Zack Fair?"

"The one and only. So how 'bout it? Wanna grab something to eat later?"

Marlene answered before her sister could, "Sure!" She looked up at her sister, "Can we?"

"I… guess so. If it's not too big a bother to Mr. Fair, that is." She smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, I invited you, remember? I'll talk to Denz and have someone find you after we're done shooting. It'll probably more like dinner, so if you haven't eaten yet, then you probably should." He turned around to walk away and threw a wave and a grin over his shoulder.

**(Tifa, 2:20 p.m.)**

Tifa stood there, staring in shock as the dark-haired actor walked away. She felt a tug on her arm and heard, "Tifa?"

She looked down, "How did you know that was Zack Fair, Marlene?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, "He said his name was Zack, and he looked like him. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out after that."

Tifa gave the girl a sarcastic look, "Watch it, young lady."

Marlene just shrugged again, "I like Zack. He's nice."

"I suppose…"

"You should go out with him."

"W-what!? Marlene!"

**(Aeris, 2:49 p.m.)**

Aeris sat in her dorm room, staring at her textbook, _'Darn finals! They're in two weeks and my hours at the bar are suddenly double!'_She jumped when her cell started ringing with the chime set for one person. She grabbed the pink phone off her desk and flipped it open, "Hey, Cissnei! What's up?"

"Hello, Aeris. I thought I'd check on you. You're studying, right?"

"I'm trying to. I only have about an hour to study, and then I have to run to work."

"Early again?"

"Yeah… Cid wants me there to help set up."

"Set up for what?"

"I didn't tell you!?"

"Tell me what?"

"They're filming a scene of 'Shattered' in the Lucky Girl. They're-"

"Holy crap! Zack Fair is going to be at the Lucky Girl!? Screw finals! I'm there!"

"I thought you might say that. But hold on, there's more."

"How can there be more!?"

"They're picking a girl from the crowd to play a part in the movie. Whoever it is apparently gets to make out with Zack Fair!"

"Oh. My. Goddess." The pair erupted into a fit of girlish screams. Cissnei finally composed herself, "You took acting classes, right?"

"About a million years ago. Besides, I don't think I can since I'm an employee at the Lucky Girl."

"Oh… Too bad I can't act to save my life."

"You should go for it anyway. What's the worst that could happen?" Aeris couldn't help but feel jealous for her friend.

"I don't know… It's kind of scary…"

"Tell me about it!"

"Well, I have to go wallow in self-loathing at my cowardice for awhile. See you tonight!"

"Yeah! 'Bye!" She hung up and stared at her textbook again, sighing.

**(Cloud, 3:13 p.m.)**

Cloud walked out of the bathroom drying his damp, gravity-defying hair with a towel. The doorbell rang from downstairs and he sighed, _'Can't anyone leave me alone today?'_He threw his towel over his bare shoulder, making sure it covered his tattoo. He lumbered down the stairs and opened the door to find Jessie standing there with Kadaj. Cloud stepped to the side to let them in, "What do you guys want?"

Jessie eyed his bare chest for a second before replying, "Vincent sent us."

"Why?" He walked upstairs and threw his towel on the couch before dropping down on it.

Jessie wandered into the kitchen and came back with two beers, handing one to Cloud and sitting on the coffee table as if it were a chair. She smiled at the silver-haired teen and shook her head, "Sorry, Kadaj. You got another year or two 'fore you can have one of these." She held up the bottle.

Kadaj shrugged and found and armchair supplied with fluffy pillows courtesy of Lucrecia. "I wanted to give you a heads-up about tomorrow. Everyone else was at the base about an hour ago and got the briefing then."

"Briefing? Since when are we organized enough to have briefings?"

"Since Hydra wanted all of us to venture into enemy territory. Anyway, Cerberus said to play it cool. We don't want any fights breaking out while we're right smack-dab in the middle of _his_ turf."

"Yeah, yeah…" Cloud took a drink from his beer, "He already went over this…"

"He did?"

"Yeah. He called me about an hour ago."

"Really? Why'd he send us here?"

"How the hell should I know?" The blond looked at Jessie, "Athena. What did Vin- Cerberus say?"

Athena. The Greek goddess of strategic warfare, wisdom, and heroic endeavor. She was the virgin patron of Athens, as well as that of weaving and other crafts. She is often depicted clothed in full armor, symbolizing her association with the disciplined side of warcraft. Being the lone intellectual among her group, Jessie used the name Athena as her own during their operations.

"He said that we're all going, like it or not, and we're going as ourselves, without using our codenames. We don't want to tip _him_ off any more than he already is."

"And…? Is that it?"

"Pretty much. It wasn't a very long meeting at all."

"So why'd you show up here if Vincent called to tell me everything?"

"We wanted lunch."

"Figures."

**(Tifa, 3:26 p.m.)**

Tifa and Marlene waited outside Denzel's trailer. Zack had finished up with the filming for the day much sooner then he'd anticipated, so they were heading off to a late lunch/early dinner. Denzel slumped out of his trailer dressed in cargo pants and a t-shirt. He saw Marlene and Tifa and his face lit up.

He ran over to them, "Hey! Zack told me I was getting lunch and didn't have a choice about it."

Marlene, suddenly interested in Zack, and not the way most girls were, asked, "So, are you friends with Zack?"

Tifa whacked her sister, "Never mind that, Denzel. Are you ready to eat?"

"Yep!" He turned when he heard footsteps behind him, "Hey, Zack!"

"Howdy, guys," he nodded to the kids, then slid his sunglasses down his nose and gave a small bow to Tifa, "Milady."

Tifa couldn't help the blush, "Okay, then, Marlene, Denzel, Mr. Fair, let's go…"

Zack raised his hands defensively, "Whoa, whoa, whoa…! No more 'Mr. Fair' shi-" he looked down at Marlene, "Stuff. Jus' call me Zack, okay? Unless…" he winked over his shades, "You want me to call you Miss Tifa…?"

Her blush deepened, "Alright, then, Zack it is."

He grinned, "Okay! Let's go! C'mon, I'll drive." He led them over to a silver sports car with a fresh polish, and climbed into the driver's seat. He leaned over and lowered the front seat so the kids could get into the back, and then put it back up for Tifa. She felt her blush deepen and sat down.

**(Zack, 3:48 p.m.)**

Zack pulled up to a small diner and put his Gabbiani into park. He turned to the others in his car, "Will this work?"

Marlene was the first to reply, "Do they have buggers?"

He laughed, "Buggers?"

Tifa took the liberty of answering, "We call hamburgers 'buggers' in our family."

"You mean, kinda like how people call spaghetti 'pasketti'?"

"Exactly like that."

"Okay. Well," he turned back to Marlene, "Of course they have buggers. The place'd suck if they didn't have 'em."

"Goodie." The seven-year-old squirmed in her seat.

"Let's go then." He got out of the car and Tifa followed suit, and then she leaned over to find the lever to lower the seat. Zack slid his shades up and flipped the hood of his sweatshirt up. He walked around the car and leaned over Tifa's back, placing an arm on either side of her, and flipped the switch. The seat snapped forward and the kids jumped out faster than you could say 'Let's go.' He grinned, making his forward action seem unintentional; even though he knew exactly what he was doing.

They walked inside and the girl at the podium smiled, "Four?"

Tifa nodded. "Kids menus for these two," she placed a hand either of the kids shoulders.

"Right this way," her smile never left as she led them to the corner booth. Zack casually dropped his arm over Tifa's shoulders and he caught her blush out of the corner of his eye. They sat down, Marlene and Denzel in the middle, Tifa beside the former, Zack next to the latter. The waitress smiled, "Okay, my name's Lilly and I'll be your waitress today. Can I get you something to drink right away?"

Zack said, without a pause, "Root beer." He turned to the others, "Seriously. This place has the best root beer you'll ever find."

Tifa looked at the kids, "Well, I'm game. You guys want to try it, too?"

They shouted at the same time, "Yeah!"

"Alrighty," Zack nodded to Lilly, "Four root beers, then."

"Okay. I'll be right back with those while you guys decide what you want to eat."

"Hambuggers!" Marlene called out.

Tifa tapped her sister on the shoulder, "Why don't you wait for her to come back?"

The younger girl shrugged, "Okay." She grabbed a crayon and busied herself on her one-page menu. Denzel reached for his crayons, too, but Zack grabbed them first and pulled out the blue one, holding it up for all to see. By now Denzel got what Zack was going to do and grabbed his menu, hiding it from sight. Tifa laughed while watching the two actors, one of which undercover, fight over crayons and activities.

The waitress came back and, when she started to set down the sodas, Zack and Denzel paused, acting guilty. Zack gave up and gave the younger boy his menu back, yet refused to surrender his blue crayon. The poor waitress got around to giving Zack his soda and he gave her a sheepish grin and, with a childish pout, said, "I'm weawee sowee, Wiwee…"

Tifa burst out laughing despite her desire to be the lone adult in the group. When the waitress regained her composure after her own laughter fit, she positioned the pen over her notepad and asked, "Okay… What can I get you?"

"Hambugger!" Marlene called out, Denzel and Zack following suit.

Tifa said with a little more composure, "Ham_burgers_ for everyone, I guess. Extra ketchup on mine, please."

"Sure thing!" She turned and went back to the kitchen.

Leaving Marlene and Denzel to their giggle fit, Zack addressed Tifa, his grin still in place, "So, what do you do?"

She managed to look at him, flustered, "Sorry, what'd you say?"

"What do you do? Y'know, like work?"

"I'm a singer."

"Really?" he said with deep interest. "What group? Maybe I've heard of you."

"I doubt it. We're still trying to find our big break. We call ourselves Checkmate."

"Does that name have sentimental value?"

"No… Why?"

"'Cause it sucks. No offense," he held his hands up in front of him, "but I think you could do so much better."

"None taken. We were thinking of changing our name, but have yet to be struck by inspiration." She rested her chin on her palm.

"Hmm… I think you should do something with 'heaven'."

"Heaven…? Why?"

He pressed a palm to his forehead, "This is gonna sound so cheesy, but it's just 'cause 'heaven' is all I can think when I look at you."

She blushed brighter than ever and felt Marlene kick her under the table. She managed, "You're right… That was cheesy."

**(Aeris, 4:14 p.m.)**

Aeris skipped down the steps to her dorm, dressed for work in a white tank top, pink mini jacket, black short shorts and pink high-tops. She froze mid-step when she realized who was waiting outside, smoking a cigarette. She ran down the rest of the way, "Genny! What is it? Did Mr. Cid have a heart attack?"

He snorted, "Hardly… You seemed to be expecting a free ride earlier… I thought I'd just save the time and the earful and just pick you up."

"Well, that's kind of you. Thanks, Genny." She slid into the passenger seat as he got in the front and flicked his cigarette out into the street. He took off towards Sector Six and the Lucky Girl.

He was silent for most of the trip, before asking, "Rissy, what are you doing this Sunday?"

"If Cid doesn't need me, I'm planning on hanging out with my parents. Why?"

"Just curious."

"That's not a very good answer."

"Not unlike what you pulled on me."

"When!?"

"Back at Bahamut's… You were attempting to explain where you're parents were off to, but you failed miserably and refused to elaborate further."

"Huh?"

"Never mind…" He rested his head on his hands while waiting at a red light.

**(Cloud, 5:20 p.m.)**

Cloud was walking out to the garage and towards his motorcycle when his cell phone went off. He flipped it open by reflex without checking the caller I.D, "Hello?"

"Hey, Cloud!"

"What the hell do you want?"

"Geez, bite my head off, why don't you?"

"Whatever. So what do want, Luc?"

"I just got settled in my hotel and decided to see what you were up to."

"Hotel that boring?"

"Yeah… What're you and Vincent doing this weekend?"

"Another friend is dragging us out to a club in Sector Three."

"Sector Three, huh? This friend must have class."

"Not really. She's working."

"Oh… Aren't you sweet… Keeping your friend company while she works."

"Go to hell."

"…Is she cute?"

"Goddess, no."

**(Tifa, 5:55 p.m.)**

Zack licked his fingers clean of ketchup and grinned at Tifa, who rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She was finally starting to relax around him, realizing that he was just another person underneath all the publicity. But no matter how much Marlene wanted her to get together with him; she was nowhere close to even recovering from her last relationship. She unconsciously pressed her palm to left side of her collarbone, flinching when she did. Zack shot her a look of concern when she twitched, "Hey, your shoulder okay?"

She smiled, "It's nothing."

He shrugged, "You sure?"

"Yeah. Well, my car's still back at the set, if you could drop us off there, that'd be nice."

"Sure," he paused, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. It's just something I got a few years ago. The pain comes back now and then." She decided it wasn't his business whether the pain was emotional and not physical.

"Alrighty. Hey, I'm filming again tomorrow night, you wanna come? I don't think Marlene should come, though."

"Why?"

"We're filming in a night club. Denzel won't be there either."

"Oh… I'm sorry, but I have other plans. My band is performing over in the Silver Materia."

"Oh, that's a shame. Hey, I think we're looking for a band for some point in the movie. Did you audition?"

"Yeah. I dropped our video in the mail this morning."

"Well, I look forward to working with you." He winked and pulled a credit card out of his pocket and held it out as the waitress came back. She saw the name on the card and her face paled, she looked back at Zack and he grinned. He slid down his sunglasses and winked.

She gulped and asked, barely audible, "Can I… get a picture? I have a camera in the back…"

"Sure thing. Give yourself a nice tip while you're back there." He nodded towards the credit card.

"O-okay! Thank you!" She ran back to the kitchen.

Tifa eyed the actor carefully, "Am I right in assuming you get that reaction pretty frequently?"

He grinned, "Jealous?"

Lilly ran back out with a pocket-sized digital camera with the distinctive Shin-Ra logo on it. Zack looked at Tifa, "You mind?"

She sighed and held her hand towards Lilly, who gave her the camera. Zack slid further into the booth, shoving Marlene and Denzel around. He patted the seat he'd just left and the waitress sat down nervously. Zack pulled down his hood and dropped an arm around her shoulder and grinned in Tifa's direction. When the teenage girl finally managed a smile, Tifa pointed the camera and took a picture of the two.

"Okay!" Zack announced, "Group shot!"

He reached over with his free arm, grabbed Denzel and pulled him over his lap and sat him between Lilly and himself; then pulled Marlene over and sat her on his other side, and finally urged Tifa around with his foot from under the table. She scooted around and sat next to Marlene, and then felt the more-and-more familiar weight of Zack's arm drop around her shoulders. She set one hand on her sister's shoulder and held up the camera with the other, pointing it towards them and pressed the button to capture the moment. She turned it around to check the shot. Satisfied, she handed the camera back to its rightful owner.

**(Cloud, 6:26 p.m.)**

Cloud sat in the Lucky Girl, waiting for the rest of his friends to arrive, _'Guess I should be glad I have an excuse not to be here tomorrow, when they're filming that friggin' movie.'_He looked up as Kadaj slid into the booth opposite him. Cloud raised an eyebrow, "How'd you manage to get in here?"

The teen grinned and held up a small card, "Fake I.D. Made it myself. I think I could be eighteen, don't you?"

(A/N: The legal drinking age is eighteen in this fic.)

The blond shook his head, "Whatever. How'd you know where our regular table was?"

"It's hard to mistake your hair, Fe-riend," he caught himself before saying Cloud's codename.

Cloud started to retort when Vincent sauntered over and dropped a squealing Hydra on the blond's lap. He jumped, "What the hell, Vincent!?"

The dark-haired girl snorted, "Is it that uncomfortable having a woman on top of you?"

"I wouldn't call you a woman for anything!"

"Jerk!" she slid off of him and onto the seat next to him. Vincent sat down on Cloud's other side as the large man from the night before came in.

Vincent looked up, "Evening, Wedge."

"Evening, Chief." He sat down beside Kadaj, who was making a mental note of Cetus's real name.

"So!" Hydra perked up, "Everyone gonna be there tomorrow!?"

Cloud mumbled around his J-Rush, "Unfortunately."

"Hey!" she hit him in the shoulder, "Is it that bad!?"

"Location, location, location."

"Huh?"

Vincent glanced around his scotch, "He doesn't like where it's at."

"Oh. Well, deal with it, Bub. Back when you were doing all those underground fight tournaments, you were draggin' us all over Midgar!"

Cloud stuck his tongue out at her, "Suck it, Bitch."

**(Zack, 7:23 p.m.)**

Zack pulled his Gabbiani up to the club and put it into park. He cut the ignition, pulled out his cell and held down speed dial #1 and waited for the recipient to pick up.

The voice on the other end asked with a sigh, "What is it, Zack?"

"Hey, Angeal, can you do me a favor?"

"And what exactly do you call every other thing I do for you?"

Zack ignored him, "I need you to see what you can find on a Tifa Lockhart."

"Oh, great. Don't tell me on top of being uncontrollable, relentless, and pathetic, you're turning into a stalker as well?"

"You're just jealous."

"You have got to be the lowest, most despicable man I have ever met."

"And that's why you love me."

"I'll look for information on this girl if you'll shut up."

"Thanks, Angeal! You're the best!" He hung up and thought out loud with a smile, "Works every time…"

**(Tifa, 10:35 p.m.)**

Tifa walked in to her home after dropping Marlene off at Barret's place. She looked up to see Reno sitting there at the table for their nightly mug of hot cocoa. He pointed towards the stove and Tifa smiled, picking up the kettle and pouring still-warm water over the cocoa powder waiting inside the mug. She picked it up and sat down at the table with her roommate.

He glanced up at her, "Did you get Scarlet's autograph?"

"No, sorry… But we'll probably go back sometime."

"How come?"

"Denzel is Marlene's friend."

"I get the feeling there's more to it than that…"

"Zack Fair made a couple of passes at me, but otherwise…"

"Otherwise what, Teefs? Do you have any idea how many women would kill to be you?"

"I don't care about those pathetic twits. I'm not ready for another relationship yet."

"Teefs… It's been two years. Ya gotta get over that bastard."

"It's… hard. It's hard to think other men won't be like him. Well, I know you're not."

"Are you comin' onto me?"

"Don't flatter youself."

"I thought I'd try."

"Seriously?" she looked at him over her mug.

"Nope. Yer more like my little sister."

"Aww… That's sweet, Reno. Really sweet."

**(Aeris, 2:15 a.m.)**

Aeris waited once more while Shera went about her nightly ritual. Genesis walked over to her and said, "I assume you're expecting a ride home, too?"

"You bet!"

Shera came over, "Here you go, guys. Goodnight!"

"G'night, Ms. Shera!" Aeris called out.

"Night…" Genesis muttered as Shera walked off towards the back.

"Geez… What happened to you, Mr. Frumpy?"

He shot her a disturbed look, "What?"

"What what?"

"Never mind…" he sighed as he made his way up the stairs and outside.

"Okey-dokey…" She climbed into the car as Genesis walked around and sat down.

He stuck the key in the ignition and hesitated. "Aeris…" he paused, "I…"

She looked at him. "What's wrong, Genny?" she asked with teasing concern.

"Aeris…" he whispered before leaning over her and closing his lips over hers.

* * *

Okay, I bet _that_ was somewhat unexpected... Please review! -OCV


	4. Chapter IV

Okay! Sorry it's a little late… I blame my older brother who came home to visit last Friday. Anyway, it's probably not entirely his fault. I had a fun weekend of ice-cream cake, Apples-to-Apples, disc golf, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Honestly, though, the most fun part was writing this. Hope you enjoy it! Although, technically speaking, It's still out on Tuesday… half an hour 'til Wednesday, but, hey, I didn't lie, did I?

Thanks to my reviewers! I really love it that you all took the time to write a detailed review! Everyone was caught off-guard by Genesis and Aeris!

**The Lone Wanderer**: Hmm… I wonder how everyone's gonna react when I reveal Tifa's ex-boyfriend? Guesses anyone?

**Kitsune13**: No offense, but do you know the myth behind Fenrir? Also, I'm glad you're enjoying TW so far! I got really excited when you said you were gonna read my fics. Thanks!

**Valentine'sNinja**: Wow. Two very different views on the Zack/Tifa goodness in this fic. It's gonna get sticky to try to keep everyone entertained.

_**Chapter IV**_

_**Saturday…**_

The following takes place between 8:10 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.

**(Aeris, 8:12 a.m.)**

Aeris skipped down the stairs of her dorm and ran for the bus stop. The bus wouldn't be there for another twenty minutes, but she didn't want to take the chance of running into Genesis this morning. She sat down on the bench inside the windowed alcove and waited. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and checked her messages, _'Huh… I got a message from Mom…'_ She moved to listen to it when her phone started ringing. She screamed and checked the number, _'I have no idea who that is…'_ She pressed the answer button and held it to her ear, "Hello?"

"Aeris?"

"Genesis?" she felt her stomach flip, "How'd you get my number?"

"You gave it to me, remember?"

"I did?" she thought to herself, _'Curse my overactive number-giving quirk!'_

"Yeah. When we first started working together. You pretty much forced me to take it."

"So, what did you want?"

"I'm waiting outside your dorm. You coming?"

"Er, no. I had another errand to run, so I thought I'd take the bus. Guess I shoulda told you, sorry."

"Are you angry with me?"

She feigned ignorance, "For what?"

"For kissing you."

She couldn't help but feel taken aback by the casualness of his tone. "Um… I don't know. Just… give me some time, okay?"

"Alright."

"And Genny?"

"Hm?"

"If you want any chance of us being together, I had better not catch you with someone else. Got it?"

He gave a chuckle, "Yes, Ma'am."

**(Angeal, 9:18 a.m.)**

He sat behind the wheel of his fancy-schmancy sedan and dialed a number from memory on his cell. He held it to his ear, "Hey, it's me… Yeah… You'll never guess who my client is chasing now…" he gave a shudder, "Nope… Uh-uh… No… Fine. I'll tell you… Tifa Lockhart… Yeah… So, what should I tell him? …The truth? Seriously? …Oh, okay. You mean like that. Okay. I'll do that. Talk to you later." He hung up the phone and sat back in his seat, waiting for the crews to get it together and go.

**(Cloud, 9:50 a.m.)**

Cloud rolled out of bed and wandered out to the kitchen, _'Lessee… I don't have to meet up with the others until seven. I have the rest of the day to myself… Maybe I should go cause some mayhem somewhere…'_ The phone started ringing again and he grabbed it, mumbling, "Goddess… Don't you people have better shit to do?" He held it to his ear, "Hello?"

"I'm bored."

"Vincent?"

"Who else would I be?"

"Eh, I just assumed you were busy with that slut from last night."

"Nah… I snuck out before she woke up."

Cloud let a sigh escape his lips, "Fine. What do you want to do?"

"Know if there're any bars open at this hour?"

"I don't know."

"Shit."

"It's not that bad. There's other stuff to do, you know."

"Not that. Some kid just ran past and knocked my latte out of my hand."

"Whatever. Wait, you were drinking coffee and then you wanted to drink?"

"Why not?"

The blond contemplated beating his own head against the wall, "Vincent… I don't get you."

"Not many do."

"Whatever… You know, it probably wouldn't hurt to practice a little, just in case something happens tonight."

"I guess. The base?"

"Sure. I'll be there in an hour."

"Fine. Make me wait."

"It's always fun to."

**(Tifa, 11:03 a.m.)**

"Reno! Did finish off the brown sugar!?"

"So what if I did!?"

"I need it to make cookies for Marlene's class next week!"

"So? Go buy more!"

"You just need to stop eating it!" Tifa couldn't understand it. Reno loved brown sugar. He'd eat it by itself, straight from the container. On more than one occasion, Tifa had seen him get a bowl and spoon to eat it. She rolled her eyes and walked out the door. She gasped when she saw the silver sports car at the curb with a handsome, dark-haired man waiting against it. He was wearing a baseball cap and dark shades.

She tried to duck back into the house but before she could he saw her and called out, "Hey! Tifa!"

She groaned and turned back around, pasting a smile on her face, "Hi, Zack."

He had a huge grin on his face as he made his way over to her, "You said you were busy tonight, so I thought I'd drop by and see if I could get a date out of you now."

"How did you know where I lived?"

He gave a good-natured laugh, "You told me yesterday, remember?"

She thought about it, "No, I didn't."

"Yeah, you did. During lunch, when Denz and your little sister were playing with their crayons."

"Before or after you joined in?"

Without skipping a beat, he replied, "After."

"Really?" Had she told him? She was usually so guarded with her personal information. Why had she let herself slip? She spoke, "I'm sorry, but I'm on my way out right now." She ducked back into the house where she faced Reno.

He grinned, "Go get 'im, Princess."

She glared, "Reno. I will kill you."

He laughed, "Go set that damn hotshot straight. The idiot won't know what hit him."

"What?"

"That guy's been needing someone to put him in his place for a long time."

"Reno, did you start reading gossip magazines again?"

He gave a shrug and jammed her house key into her palm, "Go have fun. Set the guy straight."

"Reno!"

**(Zack, 12:24 p.m.)**

He grinned as maneuvered his Gabbiani down the main roads of Midgar. _'Damn, I'm good… She fell right for it!'_ He turned to look at her, _'She is such a cutie! Damn! Every man should be as lucky as I am!'_

She continued looking out at the passing scenery as she spoke, "Zack?"

He grinned even wider, "Yeah?"

"What exactly does a date with you entail?"

"Whatever you want it to, Babe."

"Okay. First thing. _Never_ call me babe." She turned to face him, smiling sweetly.

'_Wow… She's a toughie… I can see why Angeal said what he did…'_ He thought. "Alright," he held his hands up defensively.

"Drive the car!" she screamed.

"Whoops!" he almost seemed to forget he was driving in the first place. He slammed his hands back onto the wheel, "Hehe, sorry, Ba- Tifa."

She shot him a glare, "Nice catch."

**(Aeris, 2:46 p.m.)**

Aeris sat on the floor behind the bar, playing with the hem of her miniskirt. Turns out, the film crews didn't need any help at all. Since Genesis had disappeared among the crowd, thank the Goddess, Aeris kept herself busy making sure no one stole anything. She stretched her legs out in front of her and picked the fuzz off of her black, Capri-length leggins. "Uhh… So… bored…!" she mumbled, suddenly wishing she'd brought some homework with her, yet she knew that if she had brought it, she wouldn't have needed it. Murphy's Law. She looked up at the clock, "Just over two hours until opening…"

**(Cloud, 3:18 p.m.)**

Since Vincent didn't want to waste bullets for training, he practiced his incredibly sloppy swordwork with one of Cloud's many swords. He twirled one of the back blades of the First Ken in his right hand, his left obstructed by its normal golden plating. Cloud walked opposite him, flourishing the other back blade with practiced ease.

(A/N: Back blades are the other swords in the First Ken that aren't the First Tsurugi, Hollow Blade (Vigilante) or the side blades. Long, straight swords that fit into the back of the First Ken.)

Cloud taunted, "Come and get it, Vinny!"

The raven-haired man snarled, "No one calls me 'Vinny'!" He jumped forward, fainting to the side at the last second to strike a blow to Cloud's side, but the blond, having more experience with swords, twisted and blocked easily. He maneuvered and swung at Vincent's open side, but he raised his arm and blocked it by catching it with his armor-coated hand. He twitched his wrist and tried to disarm his opponent. The blond jumped back, wrenching his sword out of Vincent's hand. The dark man grinned a response before holding his hand up in a time-out. Cloud sighed and dropped his sword to his side before walking over to the fridge and grabbing a water bottle. He turned to throw it to Vincent, but stopped when he realized the man held the sword in one hand and his cell phone in the other. He shrugged and opened the bottle and started drinking, kicking the refrigerator door shut with his foot. He dropped down on the couch that was stained with blood, food, inks, more blood, lipstick which he hoped was either Jessie's or Hydra's, beer, even more blood, and a few other indiscernible sources. He figured, hoped, Vincent was talking to a woman when he heard his smooth chuckle erupt from between his lips. Cloud shook his head, not really caring what kind of desperate twit he was talking to now, until he heard him say, "So when do you get back?" That alone didn't bother Cloud that much. It was when his mentor said, "Tuesday? Great. See you then."

'_Oh, shit…'_ he thought. That was when Lucrecia was supposed to come back.

**(Zack, 3:43 p.m.)**

He pulled up to the curb outside the small home in Sector Seven and grinned at the woman sitting beside him. She turned to face him, "That movie was good. I didn't think you had it in you to watch something that didn't feature you."

He held a hand to his heart, "Ouch. I don't think I deserved that."

She smiled sweetly, "I think you did, Mr. Let-me-casually-drop-a-hand-over-her-shoulder-and-see if-she-notices-just-how-close-I-am-to-her-chest."

"I didn't!"

She gave him a stern expression, "Really?"

"Really! I like you, Tifa! I wouldn't do anything like that! Not intentionally, anyway!"

She crossed her arms and looked away, "I don't believe you."

His voice dropped to all seriousness, "Tifa. I don't mean to be obnoxious, but I could have just about any girl I wanted, yet I chose you."

"Ironic since I'm one of the few girls who isn't a helpless sucker for your fame and fortune."

He bent forward to get his point across, "Tifa, I like you. If I was just in it for the sex, I'd be bedding a generic girl off the street."

"First off, you're sick. Secondly, could it be that you just want a challenge?" She leaned closer to meet his gaze.

"Okay. I deserved the first one. And I'm in the middle of filming the next huge international film. Why in the world would I bother throwing myself all over a girl who clearly doesn't want me?" He leaned a little closer.

"I never said that!" she glared at him, anger burning in her closer-by-the-second eyes.

"Then I'm sorry." He pressed his forehead against hers.

"Good!" She pulled back a moment, and, seeing the victory in his gaze, leaned forward and forced her lips against his.

He placed a hand behind her head, pulling her closer. Her eyes snapped open as she realized what was happening and she braced her hands against his shoulders, shoving as hard as she could. He took the hint and let her go. She clambered out of the car with a red-hot blush adorning her cheeks and ran for her house. He sat back in his seat, shifted to drive and pulled away from the curb, _'Whoa… Even I didn't expect that…'_

**(Tifa, 3:57 p.m.)**

Tifa walked inside the house and slammed the door shut behind her. She fell back against it and slumped to the floor. Reno walked in, beer in hand, "What the hell happened to you?"

"I… kissed him."

"You did what now?"

"I freakin' kissed him!"

Reno slid down next her and held his beer towards her. She took it gratefully and gulped what was left, disappointed it wasn't very much; less than half of the bottle. He raised an eyebrow, "Was it that bad?"

"…Yes and no."

He looked straight ahead, "Explain."

"Just the fact that it was _him_! If it'd been someone else, or if he had kissed me…!"

"So, you're saying that it wasn't the kiss, so much as it is you humiliated yourself?"

"Something like that."

"Well, you know what I'll say to that."

"What?"

He turned to look at her, "Keep at it."

"What?"

"Keep going with him, and when you've got him all strung up, drop him like a rock!"

She stared at him incredulously, "_Why?_"

"'Cause. The jackass deserves it."

"Why do you care about him?"

"B'cause, he's goin' around an' stealin' the hearts of all the girls and he's not leavin' any for the available bachelors out there."

"Namely, you."

He winked, "Dingo."

**(Zack, 4:26 p.m.)**

Zack sat in his treasured Gabbiani banging his head to Angels on Mt. Nibel, a heavy metal song by Life's Dream (A/N: Sad, I know…). He pulled up to a red light just before Sector Five and leaned back, thinking, _'Hmm… Tifa… She's more observant than I thought… She caught onto me… No chick's done that before…! Maybe Angeal was right… Maybe she was in with some bad company before now…'_

**(Aeris, 5:37 p.m.)**

The bar was open, the camera crews were all set, and from what Aeris could gather, Zack Fair had yet to show. She went about her work, filling drinks for the few who didn't want to be sober when the cameras started rolling. Cissnei had arrived promptly at five and took up her usual stool at the bar where she could talk to her friend during slow times. A man with long black hair that Aeris almost mistook for an older Zack Fair pushed his way between a patron and Cissnei and addressed the brunette, "Excuse me, Miss, do you know where I could find an Aeris Faremis?"

She looked at him, mixing a drink for someone else, "And you are?" Cissnei raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"Excuse me. I'm Angeal Hewley, Zack Fair's agent."

"And what do you want with-" She cut off as Genesis found his way behind the bar.

He noticed who his coworker-and-possible-girlfriend was talking to and said with a smile, "Angeal! I see you've met Aeris." He stood behind her, almost a head a half taller, and placed a hand on either of her shoulders.

She shifted slightly, somewhat uncomfortable as Angeal said, "You're Miss Faremis?"

She bit her lip, "Um, yeah. Why?"

"On top of being Mr. Fair's agent, I've been tasked with the job of finding a girl to play Milidea Crowley. My dear, dear friend," he said with as much sarcasm as humanly possible while gesturing to Genesis, "recommended you. He said you had acting experience?"

"I went to acting _class_ all the way up until high school started… But I really don't think I have what it takes to…"

Cissnei took this opportunity to jump into the conversation, "Get your ass out there and do it, Aeris! How often does a chance like this come around?" She twisted her finger through her red ringlets.

Angeal raised an eyebrow, "Friend of yours?"

Aeris sighed, "Yeah… My inseparable sidekick from the bowels of you-know-where."

Genesis gently squeezed her shoulder, "Come on… Do it for me."

The dark-haired man caught the tenderness in his friend's voice and said, "You are aware that she'd be making out- and otherwise- with Mr. Fair, right?"

He sighed and looked down at Aeris, "It's your dream, right?"

"Wait," Aeris held up a hand, ignoring the neglected customers, "What 'otherwise'?"

"A sex scene. Do you have a problem with that?" Angeal asked.

"Uh, yeah. My poor parents would be heartbroken if they found out I did something like that! And with millions watching! I can't even bring myself to tell them I work in a bar!"

"You'd be covered by a sheet throughout the whole scene. You could probably wear sleeveless clothing underneath. And as far as your parents go? Our make-up artists are pure genius. Your folks won't even know it's you."

"Why are you trying so hard to get me to do this?"

"Let's just say I owe ol' Genny a favor."

She turned around to face Genesis and pointed a finger triumphantly at him, "Hah! I'm _not_ the only one who calls you that!"

He glanced towards the ceiling, "Please, Goddess, let my pain end soon…" One of the customers started shouting about getting his drink, so Genesis took the opportunity to get away to do his job.

Angeal crossed his arms, "So how about it? Will you at least try it?"

"I… guess so."

"Follow me, then."

"Alright… Genny! Can you handle the bar?"

"Of course I can! Go break a leg, Sweetheart!" Cissnei raised yet another eyebrow at this comment, but once again remained silent as her friend followed the agent towards the door.

Angeal led Aeris up the stairs to the club and out the door. He continued on towards the massive trailers parked in a fenced off area. He flashed an I.D. tag to one of the men outside and held on to Aeris's elbow to show she was with him. The man nodded and lifted the rope for them to duck under and the raven-haired man kept going until he finally stopped beside a Wutaian man with long black hair that was talking to some blond guy. Aeris recognized the latter as Rufus Shinra, a big shot actor she'd read about in magazines in the dentist's office. Angeal whispered something in the Wutaian man's ear and he turned around to face Aeris. He spoke with a thick accent, "Hello, Miss Faremis."

Angeal gestured to the man, "This is Mr. Junichi Tseng, the director. Mr. Tseng, Miss Aeris Faremis."

She held out a hand somewhat hesitantly, "Um, nice to meet you, Sir."

Tseng took it, "A pleasure indeed." He turned back to Rufus and nodded. The blond returned the gesture and left. "Now, then, Miss Faremis. I would like to have you read a few lines off the script to see what you can do. I would ask you to act as though you're actually on the set and we're filming your actions." He held a hand out to his side and someone passing by placed a script into it. He flipped through it, found the part he was looking for, and handed it to Aeris.

She took it from him and skimmed it, swallowing her spit from nervousness, and asked, "What's my position?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What's Milidea's emotional level at this point?"

He gave a small smile, glad she'd asked, "Your abusive boyfriend brings you to a nightclub and leaves you alone for a moment when our protagonist, Ty Garcia, played by Zack Fair, spots you and decides to make a night of it."

"So… Emotionally, I'm not that…" she struggled for the right word, "strong?"

"Correct. Now, then. Whenever you're ready."

"Alright." She took a deep breath to get into character. She started loosening her muscles and fell into a relaxed state. She opened her mouth to read the first line when a hand dropped onto her shoulder and she heard a groan come from Angeal's direction.

"Here, I'll help." She looked up to find the bright, violet eyes of Zack Fair staring back.

**(Cloud, 5:58 p.m.)**

Cloud sat with his arms crossed on the couch in their base. Biggs, Wedge, Jessie and Kadaj were all crammed on there with him. Vincent stood in front of them with an excited Hydra beside him. She faced the rest of them, "Okay, guys! Everyone's gonna be there?"

Various grunts and moans met her jubilance. Kadaj raised a hand to get everyone's attention, "I don't think I should go. Things would only get worse for all of us if _he_ found out I was with you guys."

Hydra looked disappointed, "I guess…"

Cloud mumbled under his breath, "Lucky bastard…"

"I heard that!" The dark-haired girl shouted, turning to face the blond. He shrugged and went back to pouting. "Aaanywaaay… You guys gotta get ready! I gotta change and meet up with the others! See ya!"

The others watched her run out and waited a moment without moving. Finally, Cloud voiced all of their thoughts, "I don't suppose we could skip…?"

Hydra poked her head back in, "Don't even think about it!"

Vincent smirked, "Alright, boys and Jessie, you heard the girl. Pack it up."

**(Tifa, 6:23 p.m.)**

Tifa picked up two of the guitars from the back of the van and brought them inside. Barret had already brought most of their stuff over earlier today, so it was just Reno's treasured guitars. All four of them. He used them for various songs, so it was necessary to bring them all. Tifa was almost glad to have a distraction from Zack. The only problem was, that distraction was the Silver Materia. She handed them to Reno as he came back outside, "Okay, that's all of them."

"Right… Let's go get our 'threads' on…" he muttered, mocking Yuffie.

Tifa laughed, "It could've been so much worse… Imagine if she dressed us in black leather!"

"Tifa… That's not even funny…"

"I wasn't being funny… I was giving a very possible worse situation."

"Uh-huh…"

"Dibs on the van!" she jumped inside and threw Reno's bag out.

"Hey!" he shouted as she grinned and pulled the doors shut, laughing.

She pulled off her sweatshirt and jeans and pulled up her ruffled skirt. And then she pulled on the blouse and buttoned all of the remaining buttons and tied the rest of it just below her breasts. She grabbed the blazer and tugged it on. She slid off her knee-length socks and rubbed the faint remains of the tattoo on her left ankle before pulling on a pair of dark, black and white stockings and ankle boots on top of those. _'Let's get this crap over with…'_ she thought as she pulled the door open and jumped out.

**(Zack, 6:14 p.m.)**

Zack sat in his trailer, swinging his feet back and forth like a little kid. Angeal walked in and sighed to catch his client's attention and he turned around, "What's up, Angeal? Is she up?"

"No… Zack… You really need to learn to announce your arrival sometimes… The poor girl passed out before you could say 'I'm Zack'!"

"I guess she must be a fan…" he grinned.

"Zack… You're such an ass. Stay here. I'll keep you posted on the girl's condition." He turned to leave.

"'Kay!" he fell back on the bed, "Hey! Angeal!"

He stopped, "What?"

"Think we could get started on my Millie-less scenes?"

"Nope. You meet her almost as soon as you go in, so there really isn't much to do."

"Shit. Now what?"

"We wait."

"Frick. Hey-"

"No. No autographs."

'_How does he do that?'_ he wondered as his agent left.

**(Cloud, 6:48 p.m.)**

Cloud walked into the club with the rest of his friends after showing their I.D's to the bouncer out front. He found a U-shaped booth and dropped down into it. Jessie gave him a dark look as he refused to move. She dropped down on the other side and slid around, Biggs right after her and Wedge following him. Vincent sat down last and flagged down a passing waitress. He gave the blonde girl a smirk, "Scotch on the rocks."

Cloud nodded, "Junon Rush with rum."

Wedge and Jessie both said, "Beer." The latter adding, "Whatever you have on tap."

Biggs raised a hand, "Carnival with vodka."

"Alright. Be right back," she smiled and went back to the bar.

Unlike the Lucky Girl, this club seemed to be designed for live shows, as there was a stage set up on the wall opposite the bar. An electric guitar stroke sounded through the bar and the curtains opened to show dimmed lights, shielding the band from sight. A single, white light snapped on to reveal a, in Cloud's opinion, smokin' hot singer. Vincent seemed to have similar ideas, as his eyes didn't leave the front of the stage.

Cloud mumbled, "Damn, she's hot…"

Vincent smirked, "You need to get laid, kid."

"To hell with that, Vincent! I'm not you!"

"So you say. I'll bet you're so out of practice, you couldn't even get her number if you tried."

"I'll wager two-thousand gil I'll have it before the night is over."

"Define 'night'…"

"Before we head home."

"You're on. One number before we head home; or I get two-thousand gil." He held his rarely unarmored left hand over the table and Cloud took it, spitting in his own hand first. He grinned as Vincent made a disgusted face at his palm.

**(Aeris, 7:21 p.m.)**

"Mmm…" Aeris sat up and looked around. She was lying on a bed in what looked to be an incredibly fancy RV.

"Oh, you're awake."

She turned to see a small woman with graying brown hair sitting on the end of the bed with a book. Aeris looked at her, "Um, what happened?"

"You passed out. Zack Fair has that effect on women, I'm afraid," she said with a smile and a shake of her head.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I'm Elmyra Gainsborough, author of the book Shattered is based off of." She shook her head, "Since the script is done, for the most part, they asked me to stay here with you."

"Oh… I see. Where am I?"

"The trailer for Milidea's actress. They figured they could put you here; at least for now, anyways."

"Oh…" she let out a weak chuckle, "Are they waiting on me?"

"Yes, but make sure you're okay before you go running out there."

"You sound just like Ms. Shera… But I'm okay, really."

"Alright. Go break a leg, dear."

**(Tifa, 8:43 p.m.)**

Tifa belted out the final lyrics and moved her body to the outro as the song ended. When the music faded, she called into the mic, "Okay, folks, we're gonna take a quick break. We'll be back in a few!" She thought, _'I thought there'd be more alcohol involved… Or rather, I hoped there would be…'_

The curtain started to close, but she jumped down onto the main floor first. She made her way through the crowd, towards the bar when she felt a hand clasp around her wrist. She turned to see a blond man sitting in a booth holding her arm tightly enough so she couldn't free it, yet loosely enough so he wasn't hurting her. She decided to play it cool and smiled sweetly, saying, "Yes?"

"I couldn't help but notice how brilliant you looked up there."

"Are you flirting with me?"

He gave a boyish grin, "Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah, it is."

He shrugged, "So? You wanna join me here?"

"I have to sing…" she said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"While you're on break, I mean."

She eyed his friends watching them expectantly, especially the one in all black with long hair, and leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Not a chance in hell." She yanked her hand free and continued on towards the bar, glancing back briefly to see his friends laughing at him. She gave a satisfied smirk as she changed her mind and went for the girls' room.

**(???, 8:47 p.m.)**

"Hey, Boss, see that?" one of the men behind the bar asked.

The long-haired man didn't bother looking as he said, "What?"

"Looks like your girl has a new friend."

"What?" he turned slightly on his stool to see a blond man holding her wrist and smiling flirtatiously at her. He raised his lip in a snarl, _'That man will die… Tifa Lockhart is mine…'_

The other man behind the bar, knowing what his friend was thinking, said, "Not in here. Go kill him in an alleyway or something."

"Fine, I'll do that," the man on the stool smirked and let out a low laugh.

**(Zack, 9:41 p.m.)**

Zack, now in full costume, trudged down the stairs into the club with the camera rolling. He walked over to the bar, where the actor playing the bartender stood, supposedly taking orders. Zack ordered a drink, and the bartender pretended to make it, after a minute pulling a complete drink off the shelf under the bar and handed it to him. Zack walked off, into the crowd, _'Lessee… 3… 2… 1… aaand…'_

"Ow!"

He put on a surprised face and looked down to his left to see a small, brown-haired girl with her back to him. She turned around, "Oh, I'm s-so sorry! I-I wasn't…"

He put on a bright smile, "Hey, its okay. No worries!"

She gave him a nervous smile, "I'm sorry…"

He gave her a quick once-over, "Say… You here alone?"

"No… My boyfriend is over there…" she pointed in said direction meekly.

"Boyfriend, huh?"

"Yeah…"

He held a hand towards her, "Name's Ty. Ty Garcia."

"Milidea Crowley… You can call me Millie…"

"Okay, Millie. Nice to meet you!"

Another voice shouted, "Milidea!"

She turned, fear in her eyes, "Oh, no… He saw us together… Run! I'll handle him!"

"Hey… Are you okay? I mean, he doesn't hurt you, does he?"

"No! Now go! Please!" she pushed at him, trying to get him to leave.

The other guy walked over, "Hey! Are you comin' on to my girl?"

"_Your_ girl? Any man who has the nerve to treat a lady like a possession doesn't deserve to be with a woman to begin with."

"Go to hell, you son-of-a-bitch!"

Millie jumped into the middle, "Corbin! Don't! Please! Let's just go…"

The other guy, Corbin, glared at Zack, "I see you with Millie one more time…"

Zack gave the other guy a small smile, "How pathetic." He moved to turn around, "Oh, wait… One more thing…" He turned on his heel and threw a punch into Corbin's face, twisting at the last second to make it look like he'd connected.

He fell to his knees, holding a hand to his nose, "You bastard! You'll pay!"

"Cash or credit?" Zack replied with a smirk. He turned to the brunette and held out a hand, "C'mon, Millie, I'll help you home."

She looked flabbergasted, "Um, th-thank you?" She accepted his gesture and, instead of pulling her outside, he tugged her close and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing his lips down on hers.

**(Aeris, 10:06 p.m.)**

'_Oh, my Goddess… Zack Fair is kissing me! Me! Aeris Faremis! Keep it together… You're on camera!"_

She managed to keep enough sanity to place her hands on his chest, and give a small push. He responded by deepening the kiss. She felt his tongue push past her lips and start dancing in her mouth. She barely held on to consciousness as he continued. Finally he broke it off and pulled her over to a booth where he sat down, pulling her down with him. She looked at him with wide eyes before he pulled her close again, locking their lips together. This went on for quite awhile until Aeris started feeling light-headed.

And then she heard a shout from next to her, "Aaand… Cut!"

He didn't stop.

**(Cloud, 10:52 p.m.)**

"Shut the hell up, Vincent! For the last time, the night's not over!"

"She clearly turned you down, though…"

"The night. Isn't. Over. I'm not paying you until we leave!"

"But-" Vincent cut off as Hydra dropped down in the booth next to him.

"Heya, guys! So? It's not that bad, is it?"

Vincent sighed, "Yuffie… Shut up."

"Hey," Cloud asked the guitarist, "What's the singer's name?"

"Huh? Oh, you mean Tifa?" She got a goofy, alcohol-induced grin, and started singing, "Cloud an' Tifa sittin' in a tree… K-I-S-S-I-N-G-ing…" Biggs shot Jessie a confused expression; the other woman just shrugged it off.

Cloud, knowing how easy Yuffie was to manipulate when drunk, said, "You know… The first step to that happening would be for me to get her number… Too bad she shot me down cold…"

The girl laughed, "Oh, Cloud! You're so silly! I know her number! Gimme your cell!"

The blond grinned and surrendered his phone to the girl, who fumbled around in the 'contacts' menu for a minute, and then handed it back. Cloud flipped through the menu to find 'Tifa' between 'Lucrecia' and 'Timber's Pizza'. He opened it and checked the number, holding it up for Vincent to see. He looked, "You son-of-a-bitch! The bet was whether or not you could smooth-talk a girl!"

"'One number before we head home; or you get two-thousand gil.' I believe those were the terms of the wager?"

Biggs, Wedge and Jessie all nodded their agreement. "Damn it!" the raven-haired leader mumbled, pulling two-thousand gil out of his wallet and handing it to the blond; who accepted graciously.

**(Tifa, 11:56 p.m.)**

Tifa sang one of their songs, knowing the night was almost done. She couldn't help but think about that blond guy, _'He was kind of cute… Maybe Reno's right… on one account, anyway… Maybe I should start dating again… But then there's the whole Zack affair, literally.'_

She moved to the music, leaning against Reno's back and moving up and down while he supplied background vocals. She moved forward again and dropped to her knees as she released a long, high-pitched note. She heard various levels of cheering and whooping, mostly from men. She inhaled deeply and scanned the room for the blond guy, but noticed the table he was at was empty. _'Crap… Oh, well. Maybe it's an omen.'_

**(Aeris, 12:11 a.m.)**

Aeris climbed on the bus and dropped into a seat, thankful Cid had given her the rest of the night off. She took a deep breath and released it, glad that Cissnei had decided to stay back and Genesis still had to work. She thought back to earlier moments, _'Wow… Zack Fair kissed me!'_ she reached up and touched two fingers up to her lips, _'Holy… Oh! I didn't even ask for an autograph! I wonder if he'd mind posing in a picture for me…'_

The bus pulled up to the stop at the edge of campus and she ran up to her room, surprised to find Elena missing. She shrugged, assuming she must have found a guy to spend the night with. Now that she thought about it, she had no idea how Elena spent her time while Aeris was working. She shrugged again and dropped into bed, a happy grin on her face.

**(Zack, 12:19 a.m.)**

He made his way up to his room in the hotel and opened the door. He walked back into the bedroom, glad to find the blonde woman absent. He pulled out his phone and called her. He got her voicemail, so he left a message, "Hey, it's Zack. Just wanted to say I've got work to do, so don't bother coming tonight. I'll probably be busy for awhile, so, hell, I don't know… Just… find something to keep you busy, 'kay, Babe?" He lied and he didn't think she was stupid enough to fall for it. _'Ah, well… I don't need her anymore anyway… She'll be better off with someone else… Still, I'd better double my security for awhile… I've had one too many crazy chicks come at me with a vengeance…'_ He lay back on the bed, content to be alone for the first time since he'd started filming 'Two Princes'…

**(Cloud, 12:26 a.m.)**

Cloud walked outside the Silver Materia with the rest of his friends right behind him. He chuckled alongside the rest of them, until he felt a sharp pain in his left arm. He looked down at his shoulder to see a small throwing knife with a piece of paper attached stuck in him. "Frick…" he fell to his knees, his vision getting foggy.

He was barely aware of Vincent digging in his pocket and shouting, "Biggs! Catch! Take his bike back to his place! Wedge! Help me get him to my ride! Jessie! You're driving!"

He felt himself come off of the pavement and was half-carried, half-dragged to Vincent's black sporty sedan. He heard the door open and felt himself make contact with the seat. Vincent climbed in the back with him and Wedge and Jessie got in the front. As fuzzy as his thoughts were, Cloud still managed to clear his mind enough to realize that dagger hadn't been just any ordinary knife. He mumbled, hoping Vincent would hear him, "Poison…"

"What's that, kid?"

"The knife… poison…"

"Shit. Jessie! Double speed! Get us to the base now!" He heard Vincent murmur, "You'd better not die on me now, kid… Lucrecia'd have my head on her wall…"

Then everything went black.

**(Tifa, 12:53 a.m.)**

She walked behind Reno and into the house. He threw his blazer onto the sofa and moved to the kitchen. A second later, Tifa heard the stove turn on and the sound of mugs touching the countertop. She smiled to herself and went out to the garage, where she changed into some pajamas. She walked back into the living room to find the cocoa was done and Reno sitting on the couch holding two mugs. He started laughing when he saw her chibi-chocobo pajamas. She shrugged and took a mug from him and sat down. They sat there, silently sipping their cocoa, until Reno spoke, "Coulda gone worse, huh?"

"Definitely." She reached down and touched her left ankle again, pulling up her pantleg so he could see, too.

"Some things never leave ya alone, do they?" he drawled, pushing up his sleeve to reveal an identical, faded tattoo on his right wrist.

"No, they don't…" She looked at the tattoos, "Reno."

"Hm?"

"Did you see him?"

"No, why?"

"I did. He was there tonight."

"What!? That son-of-a-bitch!"

"Reno… Calm down. You know as well as I that there's nothing we can do about it."

"Yeah, yeah…"

She let out a sigh, "Did you see what happened?"

"What? You mean when that dork grabbed your wrist?"

"Yeah. He was kinda cute, really."

"Hey! What about teaching Zack Fair a lesson?"

"If you want him to learn so badly, teach him yourself."

* * *

Wow… Now what? Any suggestions?

Oh, by-the-by, I haven't played Dirge of Cerberus as of yet (hell, who am I kidding? I still haven't finished FF7…), so none of those characters will be making an appearance. I have seen a few of the cutscene clips, so if anyone wants to see some of them in here, please send me some of their basic personality descriptions. You know, quirks, styles of speech, maybe a basic physical description so I know who you're talking about. It'd be preferred if they were spoiler-free, as I want to play Dirge sometime, but if not; oh, well.

Thanks for reading and please review! -OCV


	5. Chapter V

You know what? Screw the Tuesday update! I had this one done REALLY early, so I figure, why not? This is for my reviewers! By the way, I blame Valentine'sNinja for the ending…

I made a mistake… In the first chapter, Tifa said the contest for the bands ended on May 5th… It's supposed to be April 5th. I went back to change it, but I thought I'd mention it here. Also, I just recently learned what exactly the forearm was… I thought it was the part between the shoulder and elbow, not the elbow and wrist. Just to clear things up, Cloud's tattoo is on his upper arm, just below the shoulder of his left arm. Sorry if there was any confusion! Oh, and Vincent is twenty-seven, not pushin' sixty.

To my wonderful reviewers!

**LittlexMissile**: *Chuckles* The Zack/Tifa bit seems to be getting the most attention… I'm gonna have to start working REALLY hard to keep everyone on their toes!

**Kisune13**: Eh, Yuffie probably could of been sober eight times over and she still could have given Cloud Tifa's phone number… and address, birth date, social security number, mother's maiden name… And, yeah, Reno on brown sugar was easy to imagine. That quirk stems from my own former habit *Grins sheepishly*

**Epic Popcorn**: Huh… The threat of multiple pairings was supposed to _attract_ readers, not scare them off…

**Valentine'sNinja**: I thought about telling who Tifa's ex was in the last chapter, but I think it's still a little too early…

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter V

_**Sunday…**_

The following takes place between 1:40 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

**(Zack, 1:48 p.m.)**

Zack walked inside his trailer to find his agent sitting there sipping some of his freakishly-expensive whiskey. He turned in the swivel chair to face his client, "So?"

"What?"

"What the hell was that? I thought you were seeing that girl from the set last Friday?"

"What brought this up?"

"The fact that you clearly kissed Miss Faremis for quite a bit after Mr. Tseng cut the cameras."

"And…? Your point is?"

"You are quite possibly the most famous man in Gaia. You need to watch your public image. If the press catches on to the fact that you're juggling two women… You're ratings among the female audiences will drop considerably."

"Eh, I know… I really like Tifa… I just got carried away yesterday… Sorry."

"You remember what I told you? About Tifa?"

"Yeah. But so far, she's been pretty nice… I can't even imagine that what you said is true."

"Yeah, well, don't forget it and keep your guard up at all times. But if you ask me, she's bad news."

"Yer just jealous."

**(Cloud, 2:07 p.m.)**

Cloud's eyes opened slowly to find Vincent sitting on the edge of his mattress. He sat perfectly still, texting someone, until he noticed Cloud's slight motion in his peripheral vision. He closed his phone, "Morning, kid."

Cloud dropped his right arm over his forehead, groaning, "What happened?"

"Ya got hit by a knife in the arm, right through Fenrir. Blade was soaked in poison; musta been someone who wanted you dead. Given where we were last night, I'd think it was _him_… But this, and the fact that he didn't attack anyone else, tell me otherwise…" he held up a square of paper, creased four ways like it had been folded previously.

Cloud glared and snatched it from him, "Geez, ya gotta go and read my mail?" He skimmed the short note, _'You who have touched what is not yours, death shall be your reward.'_ He looked up at Vincent, "What d'you suppose it means?

"Considering you were the only one they hit, its gotta be something you touched…"

Cloud shot him a dark look, "Gee, Sherlock. How long did it take you to figure that one out?"

"Hmph. You want my help or not?"

"Eh, what d'you got?"

"I'll make a bet it's talking about that singer."

"Probably."

"You really should pick your girls more carefully."

"You made me flirt with her!"

He shrugged, "You didn't have to take the bet."

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that."

"You should thank Yuffie when you get the chance."

He glanced back towards the dark man, "Why?"

"If it wasn't for her fascination with shiny objects, we wouldn't have had the materia to heal you."

"Great… She'll only gloat about that for weeks."

"Yeah, but you're alive. Would you rather live and hear her gloat, or be dead?"

"Honestly…?"

"No."

Cloud gave a short laugh as he threw the blankets off of him, "Where's my phone?"

Vincent pointed at the pile of stuff he and their friends had dug out Cloud's pockets the night before, "Why?"

"There's someone I need to call."

"Not the girl from last night?"

"Yep."

"You're a friggin' idiot."

He grinned as he dug out his phone with one hand, "Heh. I plan to find out exactly why that happened, and find out who did it."

"You're still an idiot."

**(Tifa, 2:15 p.m.)**

Tifa walked into aisle seven, the baking goods aisle, and found some brown sugar. She thought twice about it and grabbed two bags. Her phone started ringing with one of her own songs and she pulled the pearly-white cell out of her pocket. She checked the number, _'Who the hell is that?'_ She opened it as she headed towards the check-out, "Hello?"

"Hi, Tifa?"

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"You probably don't remember me. My name's Cloud, from last night."

She thought about it, "How'd you get this number?"

"We have a mutual friend, Yuffie Kisaragi. I… mentioned you after she joined us at our table, and she was so sloshed she went and gave me your number… I hope you don't mind…"

'_Yuffie…!'_ she forced her anger down, "Who exactly are you?"

"Er, blond hair, blue eyes that look Mako-filled but aren't, sitting at a table full of misfits… Does that help?"

Understanding overwhelmed her, "Ohh… You're the guy who grabbed my wrist, aren't you?"

"Uh, yeah. Sounds like me."

'_Yessss! Second chance! Score, Baby!_' she did a little dance in the middle of the grocery store, "Okay, so what's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to get some lunch sometime, maybe?"

"When?"

"Just like that? Trusting, aren't you?"

"You gonna waste my good mood?"

"Well, you did kinda shoot me down cold last night."

"Yeah, well, I had a change of heart."

"So when do you want to meet?"

"You said lunch?"

"Whatever works for you."

"Have you had lunch yet today?"

"Nope. You?"

"You know any good restaurants near the grocery store in Sector Six?"

"Yeah… You know where Project G's is?"

"No…"

"It's on Seventh Street… Does that help?"

"Not really…"

"Alright… It's almost right next to where you are… Let's see, turn right out of the parking lot, take a right onto Jargen, follow that until you reach Trench, should be the third left, take that and then Seventh is the second right after that… Project G's should be on the left."

"Okay…" she repeated the directions back to make sure she had them right, "And you said your name was…?"

He gave a small chuckle, "Cloud."

"Got it. See you in…?"

"Half an hour?"

"Sounds good."

**(Aeris, 2:23 p.m.)**

Aeris got in the convertible waiting outside her dorm with a smile. She leaned across the seat and greeted the driver with a peck on the cheek. Genesis gave her a surprised look, which quickly transformed into a smile. He put the car into gear and drove off towards Sector Seven, "I have to admit, I thought I was history when I saw you with Zack Fair."

She gave him a giggle, "He's a heartbreaker. I realized that last night."

"How do you mean?"

She gave her head a small shake, "He didn't know me in any way, and he didn't even hesitate to jam his tongue down my throat."

Genesis gave a short cough and the car swerved a little bit, "He did what now?"

"You heard me. I still like him as an actor… But, I don't know… Something about meeting an actor takes the magic out of the roles they play, you know?"

"I suppose."

"I was watching some episodes of 'Two Princes' instead of doing my homework this morning, and I have to say, it's really different after meeting him."

"My friend, Angeal, deals with actors and actresses all the time. I get to meet some, and I really don't watch much TV at all."

"Do you know what 'Two Princes' is?"

"Unfortunately."

"Hey! It's not that bad! Even after what happened, it's still one my favorite shows!"

"If you say so."

"Hey… Genny?" she shook her head, "Sorry. Genesis?"

"After all this time of being 'Genny,' my full name just sounds wrong coming from you."

"So I can call you 'Genny' all the time?"

"If I can call you 'Rissy'. Anyway, what were you going to say?"

"Well, um, I… I want to…"

He glanced sideways at her, "Are you alright?"

"W-well… What I mean is… I," she took a deep breath, "I want to give us a shot."

His face literally lit up, "You mean…?"

"Yeah. I'll officially be your girlfriend."

He drove the rest of the way with a grin on his face.

**(Tifa, 2:47 p.m.)**

'_Good thing he gave so much time! I didn't plan on getting lost with such a short ride…!'_ Tifa thought as she made her way into the diner. It was a little harder to find than Cloud had made it sound. She walked over to the empty counter and sat down on a stool, glancing around for spiky blond heads. Finding no one at all, she leaned against the counter as a short, round man made his way out of the kitchen, "Good afternoon, Miss. What can I get you?"

"I'm waiting on someone, if that's alright."

"Of course! Give me a holler when you're ready! Oh!" he glanced up as the bell on the door jingled and a somewhat less-average-in-height blond man walked in.

He looked up, "Hey, Doc." He saw Tifa, "Sorry I'm late. I was out on the other side of the sector…"

"It's no trouble. I just got here."

"Oh, that's good." He looked at the chef, "The usual, Doc."

Tifa looked at Cloud as he sat on the stool beside her, "What's 'the usual'?"

Without even thinking, he replied with a smile, "Hamburger, no mustard, extra onion and pickles, light on the mayo and crinkle fries with a vanilla milkshake."

"Mmm… That sounds good." She turned to Doc, "Make that two 'usual's,' except regular onion and extra ketchup on mine."

Doc grinned, "Sure thing!" He turned towards the backroom whispering something to Cloud that sounded an awful lot like 'Nice catch'. Cloud punched the man on the arm and laughed.

Tifa smiled, "I take it you're friends?"

He grinned back, "Yeah, my sister, best friend and I abuse this place. Doc's my neighbor," he added as an afterthought.

"Oh… So, did he baby-sit you when you were growing up?"

"Nah, I had a work-at-home mom and a sister that's, like, four years older. She took care of me for the most part. She's beginning to wish didn't now."

"Why? Are you that much of a jackass?"

He laughed at her use of an expletive, "Ya got me. What about you? What's your family like?" He pulled two straws out of the holder and handed one to her.

She ripped the end of her wrapper off and blew into the open end of the straw, shooting the paper off at Cloud. "My mom died when I was a teenager, my dad three years ago. My little sister lives with a family friend. She's such a cute little kid."

He opened his straw and stuck it in his mouth, "If she's your sister, she must be cute," He grinned around the straw.

"Are you always this smooth?" she asked with laughter in her voice.

"Hell, yeah."

She laughed as Doc came back out with their food. He raised an eyebrow at Cloud, "Kind of late for lunch, isn't it?"

"I had a late night last night. I just woke up about an hour ago."

He shook his head with a laugh, "That's just like you, kid! Enjoy the meal!" He disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving the practically empty diner to the two.

Cloud picked up the tray, "You like the stools, or you wanna move to a booth?"

"Booth."

He chuckled and brought the food over to his regular table and sat down on one side. Tifa followed suit and sat opposite him. He handed her her burger and took his, "Which milkshake d'you want?"

"That one. There's more in it."

He shook his head, "So, uh, how old are you?"

She eyed him for a moment before replying, "Twenty-one. You?"

"Twenty-Three. Not too far apart, eh?" he said with a smile.

She shook her head and laughed, "Don't get too far ahead of yourself."

"No worries; I won't."

"Good," she said around a mouthful of milkshake.

"So, what do you do?" he asked as he dipped one of his french fries into his shake and popped the whole fry into his mouth, munching away happily.

"Oh, my goddess… does that actually taste good?"

"Try it," he grinned again.

She picked up a fry and casually dipped it in her shake, then shrugged and bit off half of it. She chewed thoughtfully, "Hmm… Not bad." She shook her head, "I have a seven-year-old sister with an eight-year-old boy for a best friend and I've never seen anyone do that before."

He shrugged, "I'm one-of-a-kind."

'_I see that… And I'm liking that…'_ she thought with a smile.

**(Zack, 3:21 p.m.)**

Zack walked up the driveway and up to the door. He extended a fist and knocked on the edge of the screen door. He waited for bit, and then knocked again. A voice sounded from inside the house, "Geez, cool it!" The door opened a red-headed man holding a beer stood there. He eyed his visitor, "Who're you?"

"I'm here to see Tifa. She here?"

"Again. Who are you?"

"Sorry! The name's Zack!" he gave a small salute.

"Zack Fair? Seriously? Why the hell would a hotshot movie star like yourself want with a dump like this?"

"I already said it. I'm looking for Tifa. She here?"

"Nah, sorry. She had some shopping to do. Dunno when she'll be back."

"That sucks. Couldja tell her to call me?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Thanks, Friend," Zack gave him a smile and turned back to his Gabbiani.

**(Cloud, 3:33 p.m.)**

"So, how'd you get that?"

"Huh?" Cloud looked at Tifa from around his almost-gone milkshake.

She pointed to the bandage on his arm, "Where did that come from?"

He looked at the bandage that was wrapped a little heavier than necessary to hide his tattoo, "Oh, that. That happened last night. Some crazy idiot came at me with a knife."

"Holy…! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. You expect these things when you hang out at clubs as much as I do. The guy was probably either wasted or trippin'." He gave her a small shrug without jostling his shoulder too much.

"If you say so…" She looked up as Doc came out with the check and went to set it on the table, but Cloud snatched it up before he could. He held it so Tifa couldn't see it and pulled out his wallet. She pulled out her own, "What's my share?"

"Do honestly think I'd go through the trouble of hiding the damn thing from you if I didn't intend to pay for the whole meal?"

"Come on…! I couldn't ask you to buy my lunch!"

"Don't worry, I'm not."

"Huh?"

"I won a bet with Vincent last night that covers the bill. So, technically, he's buying both of our lunches."

"Who's Vincent?"

"My best friend and something of a mentor to me."

"Oh. What was the bet?"

"I can't tell you that. Man's honor."

"Try man's foolish pride. It probably had something to with getting drunk in an allotted amount of time…"

He shook his head and laughed, "Fine. If you must know, it was a bet of whether or not I could get your attention."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Aww… I… guess that's sweet. Kinda creepy, but sweet all the same."

"Do you have anywhere you have to be?"

"Nope. You?"

"Nope. I live nearby. You want to come to my place? We could throw on a movie or something."

She eyed him for a moment, judging whether or not to trust him. Finally, she said, "Sure."

"Come on. It's just across the street."

"Alright," she stood up from the booth as Cloud moved the tray to the counter.

Before leaving, he called out, "Thanks, Doc!" He walked outside, turning to make sure Tifa was right behind him, and then crossed the street. He stopped in the middle when he saw Tifa getting in her car. "You can leave it there. I'm just across the way…"

"Oh. You sure it's okay to leave it here? There isn't much parking for his diner…"

"Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure you should be standing in the middle of the street?"

He looked back and forth, as if he wasn't sure where he'd stopped, "Well, what d'you know?" He walked across the rest of the way and waited for Tifa to join him. Once she did, he pulled a set of keys out of his jeans pocket and walked over to the side door of his family's shop.

Tifa stood a little behind him while he unlocked the door, "Strife Floral? You live on top of a flower shop?"

"Own, actually."

"Really? You own a flower shop?"

He looked upward as he opened the door, "Why do people have such a hard time accepting that?"

She walked in, "You don't really look like the flower shop kind of guy."

He led her upstairs, towards the apartment, "Honestly, I inherited the shop from my mom when she died. My older sister was roughing it through grad school, so she left the shop in my name. Besides, I always did more work with the shop than my Luc did."

"Luc?"

"My sister, Lucrecia. I call her Luc. It's kind of a pet name."

"…I'm sorry about your mom."

"Don't worry about it. From what you said, you had it harder than I did."

"…So, is your last name 'Strife'?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Cloud Strife, at your service," he touched two fingers to his brow and flourished his hand outward as he gave her a mocking bow.

She laughed and sat on the couch, "Tifa Lockhart. No 'E' in 'hart'."

He walked over to a closet on the side, "So what movie do you want to watch? I don't think we have anything other than my drag-racing and samurai collection and my sister's romantic comedies."

She laughed again, "What's in your samurai 'collection'?"

"A lot of them are documentaries on swords, but a few are actually movies. They're more for the sake of the story than for the action."

"You sound like you don't feel like watching something for the story?"

"Eh, not really. How about this one?" he held up a case that looked like it involved more car crashes than conversations.

"Whatever. I don't think I've seen it, so I'm cool with it."

"Alright," he slid the disc inside his movie-playing gaming system. "My sister was a wreck when the DVD player broke. She couldn't figure out how to use this thing for the life of her. It was kind of weird, actually. She's a huge science nerd, so you'd think a gaming system would be easy for her."

"You speak so fondly of your sister."

He shrugged, "I speak the truth. She graduated from a four-year with a double-major, math and biology. And honors. She finished grad school with the top scores of her class, too. In spite of this, she still can't figure out that peanut butter doesn't go in the fridge."

She laughed once more as he hit play on the movie.

**(Aeris, 3:49 p.m.)**

Aeris got out of the car after the painstakingly long ride from Sector Four to Sector Seven. Genesis looked at her, "Are you sure this is the place? It looks so deserted."

"Yeah, this is it! Nanaki doesn't like popular places too much, so he bought a place out here in the boonies."

"I see."

Ifalna came running out after a moment, "Rissy! You're here! And you brought Genny, too!"

Genesis dropped his head into his palm as Aeris brightly said, "Where's Dad? I have something to tell you guys…!"

"He's out back with Kwehkers. Come on!" Ifalna seemed to be almost as excited as Aeris, and she didn't even know what was going on.

The mother took off running for the backyard, followed by the daughter; who paused after a moment to run back and grab Genesis's arm and pull him along with her. He let her.

Aeris let go of Genesis's arm when the chocobo came into sight. "Kwehkers!" she shouted as she ran towards it. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged tightly. He started kwehing and jumped up and down. Genesis sighed and shrugged as Gast made his way over to stand near him. The younger man nodded a greeting to the older, who returned it.

Ifalna, who by now had made it a group hug by jumping up and down with her daughter and the chocobo, stepped back, "Okay, Rissy! What is it? Your news!?"

"Oh, yeah!" Aeris stepped back as well and faced her parents. "Well," she walked over to Genesis and looped an arm through his, "as of this morning, Genny and I are officially dating!"

Genesis let out a cough and hissed in her ear, "I thought you were going to tell them about the movie!"

"Goddess, no," she whispered back, "They can't know about that."

"Well, then, since you feel it's alright to tell them about us without asking me first…" He twisted her around so she was lying back against his arm and leaned over her, pressing his lips to hers.

All she could hear was the cheering from her mother.

**(Zack, 4:12 p.m.)**

Zack lay on his back, holding the script over his face. He sighed and sat up, tossing the book next to him. He looked around his room for something to do. When he finally reached a decision, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number, "Hey, it's me."

The voice on the other end asked, "Who?"

"Zack Fair."

"Oh? What could you possibly need from me?"

"I was wondering if you were still looking for auditions."

"That I am. Are you interested, Mr. Fair?"

"Oh, Lord, no. I have a friend who's interested. I'll send a video audition your way once I can get a hold of it."

"Understood. I'll keep my eyes open."

"Thanks. Talk to you later," he flipped the phone closed, thinking, _'This is gonna be great!'_

**(Tifa, 4:28 p.m.)**

Tifa sat on the sofa, fully aware of the fact that Cloud's uninjured arm had dropped over her shoulders about twenty minutes into the movie. She didn't really mind that much, so she let it go. Ten minutes later, she realized she'd curled up against his side. She didn't really notice when she did, but it felt pretty nice, so she stayed put. She jumped a minute later when she heard something moving around downstairs, followed by a crash and cursing. She glanced at Cloud, who didn't seem surprised at all. She figured it must be normal, so settled back up against him; feeling his hand tighten a little around her shoulder. The door flew open a second later, and the same man from the night before that was dressed all in black came in. He saw Tifa curled up next to Cloud and gave a smirk. The blond's attention didn't even shift from the TV when he shifted his hand that was resting across her shoulders, the one that was closer to the visitor, and flipped him the bird. The other man let out a low chuckle, "Geez, Cloud. I was just going to see if you wanted to head out for dinner. I'll take it as a 'no'."

He still didn't turn, "I have a phone."

"I know. I figured if you weren't home than I'd just pilfer from your fridge."

Tifa was quiet through the whole ordeal, Cloud reached out and pressed the 'pause' button on the movie and turned a little to face the dark-haired man over the back of the couch, "Tifa, this is Vincent. Vincent, Tifa."

Tifa reached over the couch, extending her left hand towards Vincent. He held up his left, which was plated in gold, and moved his right hand closer. Tifa adjusted herself a little and took it, "Nice to meet you. Cloud's told me quite a bit about you."

He smirked again, "Only the good things, I hope."

She shook her head with a smile, "You wish."

The blond tightened his grip on Tifa's arm, "It'd be a short conversation if I only told her the good things about you."

Vincent flipped a particular finger in the blond's direction before asking, "What did you tell her?"

Cloud grinned over the couch, "Enough to keep her from getting near you."

He shrugged, "So, you told her… what, exactly?"

"That you bought lunch. Thanks for that, by the way."

He grumbled, "You lousy, rotten, stinkin' cheater…"

Tifa laughed, watching their interaction, "You two must go way back."

Cloud mumbled, "Too far."

Vincent shrugged, "Well, I'll go grab dinner from Wedge's… and leave you two alone." He smirked before adding, "Pleasure meeting you, Tifa."

"Yeah, see you 'round."

He nodded and left. Cloud turned back to Tifa, "Well, now you've met my friend, the polygamous Vincent."

"Ew."

"He's not really married to multiple women. I just call him that 'cause he can't sit still. He's never with more than one woman at a time, though."

"If you're trying to make this acceptable, you're failing."

"I know. I can't stand that side of him, either."

"Then why are you friends with him?"

"Because despite that, he's a loyal friend. There's no one I trust more."

"If you say so…"

"You don't have anything to worry about. He never goes after anyone he meets through his friends without their permission; which, of course, we never give him."

"Good for you."

**(Cloud, 6:15 p.m.)**

Cloud pulled the movie out of the tray and put it back in the case, sliding that onto the shelf when he was done. He looked at Tifa, "So, what do you want to do know? We should probably get some dinner…"

"Are you asking me to cook?"

"No. I can cook myself. Not very well, but I can. What do want?"

"Oh, crap!" she slapped her forehead, "I have to make cookies for my sister's class tomorrow! I'm sorry, I have to go!" she grabbed her coat and started running for the door.

"You know, we could just make cookies here."

She turned on her heel, "What?"

He leaned his good arm on the kitchen counter, "We probably have all the stuff to make the damn things. Could be fun."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. My sister's always buying all the stuff for cookies and cakes, saying she's gonna make 'em for the bake sale down the street or whatever, but she never gets around to it. And then the next time she comes up with the idea, she buys more without checking to see if we already have it."

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

"'Course not." He shot her a goofy grin, "If it means spending more time with you… Besides, if we eat too much batter and make ourselves sick, we won't have to worry about dinner."

She laughed, "Alright, do you have a recipe we can use?"

"I dunno. There's always one on something, the flour, chocolate chips, sugar, whatever. Take your pick."

"What brand of chocolate chips do you have?"

"I dunno. Why?"

"There's a pretty good recipe on the package of one brand."

"Let's see if we can find 'em."

**(Aeris, 6:26 p.m.)**

Aeris sat at the picnic table, chatting away with her parents, while Genesis wandered over to Kwehkers's pen. He reached out with one hand and held it out, palm up, near the chocobo for a second. Kwehkers stared at his hand for a minute, then bent down and nudged it with his beak. Genesis's mouth tipped into a small smile as he reached up to pet the chocobo.

"I think he likes you."

Genesis turned to see Aeris standing there with her hands clasped behind her back, "I hope you don't mind…"

She gave her head a small shake, "it doesn't matter what I think; it's whether Kwehkers likes you or not that matters."

He smiled a moment, and then went back to petting the chocobo. Aeris walked over next to him and rested her arms on the top rung of the pen, stepping up onto the bottom one. He turned to her, "You belong out on a farm."

"This isn't exactly a farm… More like a chocobo pen in the middle of Midgar."

"As close as you'll find in Midgar."

"Actually, I have a garden back home. My mom takes care of it for me while I'm at school."

"Where are you from? You mentioned you were from the North when we had lunch with your parents."

"I'm from the Icicle Inn. What about you?"

"Banora, a little dumpy town in the South. I wouldn't recommend it."

"Why not?"

"Well, probably because it's not there anymore."

She gasped, "What happened?"

He shook his head, "ShinRa was testing some new weapon of theirs and they got the coordinates mixed up. My hometown was caught in the blast. Angeal and I were in Midgar, visiting a friend from school when we heard the news. ShinRa covered it up by saying the people there were trying to build weapons of their own, to start terrorist attacks."

"I… heard about that. I'm sorry, Genny."

"My parents… They were caught in the attack. As far as I know, Angeal and I were the only survivors."

"Angeal's from the same town?"

He gave a short nod, "We grew up together."

She leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder, "I'm sorry…"

He pet the chocobo with one hand and wrapped the other around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He whispered in her ear, "Aeris… I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but…"

She kept her head on his shoulder, "Hm?"

"I… I think I've fallen in love with you."

**(Tifa, 6:48 p.m.)**

Tifa shrieked with delight as Cloud flicked flour at her for the umpteenth time. She laughed stuck her hand in the bag and flicked some back. He raised an eyebrow, "Did you just flick flour at me?"

"Flour for a florist. Seems about right."

"Except that it's the wrong kind of flour." He grinned and ran around the counter and wrapped his good arm around her waist.

She laughed and, for the first time, felt his thick muscles. With just one hand, he lifted her a full foot off the ground. Her laughter was replaced by surprise, "Hey! You don't look this strong!"

He grinned over her shoulder, "I don't look this strong, but I am. I don't look like a florist, but I am. I don't look like a sucker for beautiful women, but I am. Are you seeing a pattern here?"

"Starting to."

"Good. I'd hate for you to misjudge me." He set her back down but kept his hand on her waist.

"Cloud… What are you…?"

He twisted her around so she was facing him, hand still on her hip. He moved his injured arm slightly and ran his hand through her flour-doused hair. He looked her in the eye, "Do you mind? If you do… I won't…"

"No… I mean… go ahead…" she whispered, not exactly sure as to why she was whispering in the first place.

He ran his hand deeper into her hair until it was resting on the back of her head. He tipped her head back a little and took a half-step closer. He leaned down a little, lightly dusting his lips over hers. She moved her hands to rest around his shoulders and pressed her lips into his, completing the kiss.

**(Zack, 7:18 p.m.)**

He lay on his bed, wondering what was taking Tifa so long. Maybe that redhead forgot to tell her, or maybe she had a lot of shopping to do, or maybe… Oh, the possibilities. Zack's mind tended to wander when he wasn't busy, and since the director decided to take the night off, his thoughts were borderline crazy. He sat up, shouting to the empty room, "I'm boooooored!!!"

Angeal came running in, "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"I'm bored!"

"I got that. Why in the world are you shouting like that?"

"I'm bored!"

"Just… shut up! Go out and do something! Go to a club, or get some dinner! I don't know."

"But… That all sounds boring!"

"You're spoiled rotten, Zack."

"I just want to talk to Tifa…"

"If you're that desperate, call her."

"I don't have her number…"

"What kind of idiot doesn't get a girl's number?"

"Hey! I'm not used to the taking it slow, let's-keep-in-touch approach."

Angeal dropped his head in his hand, "You are sick…"

"Why?"

"Never mind…"

"I still want to see Tifa."

**(Cloud, 7:31 p.m.)**

Cloud lifted her with one arm again and backed up towards the living room. He backed up against the armrest of the couch and fell back, bringing Tifa down on top of him. He felt her tongue tickle the edge of his lips, so he parted them slightly to allow her access. Their tongues played touch-and-go between their mouths, shyly slipping in and backing back out. He ignored the pain in his arm, feeling his bandages shift a little. He knew he should fix the bandages and use some materia if necessary, but he was enjoying himself just a little too much. He pulled his face away from hers to catch his breath, looking her in the eye. All he saw was the softest of approval. He moved back in, but instead of meeting her lips, he moved to her neck. He heard a small squeak burst from her mouth in surprise. Despite his strongest attempts, he couldn't keep his lips from curling into a smile as he buried his face in her hair. He felt her hands move from their place on his chest to the zipper of his vest. He couldn't help but notice her hands were shaking, so he asked, "Tifa…?"

"Mm?"

"Have you ever…?"

"What…?"

His face was still buried in her hair, but he had moved his hands to the buttons of her shirt, "Have you ever done this before…?" There was absolutely no doubt in his mind of what was happening.

She moaned against the top of his spiky hair, "Twice… with the same guy… You…?"

"Can't even remember…" he swallowed, "Keep in mind… I had Vincent for a mentor…"

"Uhn…"the sound that escaped her lips sounded more disgusted than anything else, but he could definitely hear some ecstasy in there somewhere.

"Mm… My room…?"

"Yeah…"

He picked her off the couch, standing up without moving their positions too much, and carried her back to the master bedroom. He set her on the bed and pulled off his vest before joining her. Her eyes widened a little when she saw the tight muscles on his chest. That thought was gone in seconds as he drew her close, pulling her lips to his once more.

* * *

Holy…! Okay, V-Ninja, you wanted a little more love…?

And were you guys honestly expecting me to have another Aeris and Genesis scene after that? Honestly, people just don't understand my level of evil. Oh, and keep your eyes on the date in the beginning, 'cause after the next chapter I'm probably going to start jumping forward a little.

By the way, I meant what I said about the DoC characters… especially the girls. There aren't that many in FF7 as it is… Also, if you have any ideas or requests that you'd like to see, I'm all ears! I'm coming up with this as I go, so if you have an idea, let me know! I'll fit it in as best as I can! Especially if anyone has any idea as to what Zack and Lazard were talking about back in chapter two… Seriously, though, I have no idea what went on there… If you have ideas, please send me a PM so others don't see it by accident! Thanks, and…

Please review! –OCV

P.S. I bet you haven't ever heard the term 'flour-doused' before…


	6. Chapter VI

Alright, I finally remembered! I was going to give an explanation on the whole Cloud-florist shindig at the beginning of chapter two; but I forgot. Anyway, it's not as crazy and genius as you might think. Truth is, this fic was originally going to be an FF8 one, with Rinoa in Tifa's place, Quistis in Aeris's, Seifer in Zack's, and Squall in Cloud's. So, since Squall was going to work in his mother's shop, what better shop for Raine to own than a flower shop? By the time I decided to switch it to FF7, which I think is turning out much better than FF8 would, the flower shop idea was set in stone, and, viola! Cloud's a florist. Also, in the original idea, Seifer was gonna be a basketball player… I ditched that idea when I realized that I don't know jack about the sport.

As of this chapter, The Lone Wanderer is beta-ing all the chapters of Tangled Web, so there shouldn't be any typos from here on out. Thanks for taking your time to improve my work! And thanks to kitsune13 who told me how to get a beta in the first place…

To my reviewers!

**The Lone Wanderer**: Sorry about the typos. I have a sort of dyslexia when it comes to typing. Sorry if it caused any problems! And, yeah, Zack does like Tifa, but, as you all know, she's been _very_ busy with Cloud…

**Epic Popcorn**: Indeed… Multiple pairings do cause quite the ruckus, don't they?

**Valentine'sNinja**: Mmm… Yeah… Cloud's and Tifa's relationship _was_ going to be much more innocent…

**kitsune13**: I love your detailed reviews! *Chuckles* At least one person thought the Cloud/Tifa moment worked out alright. Don't worry, this chapter gets a little deeper into their blossoming relationship.

Oh… And I don't own Family Feud… Mwahahaha…

_**Chapter VI**_

_**Monday…**_

The following takes place between 8:10 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. (No, that's not a typo…)

**(Tifa, 8:14 a.m.)**

Tifa woke up to smell of sweat, dried blood, cologne, and a hint of some flowery scent. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and remembered what had happened last night. She glanced down briefly to see her naked form covered by the bedspread, for which she was somewhat thankful. Then she looked up at him, only to find he was already awake and watching her with a smile. He gave her shoulders a quick squeeze with the hand that was wrapped around her back, holding her against his body. She returned his smile with a shy one and pulled the covers up a little more. She let a yawn escape her lips and asked, "What time is it?"

He glanced at the digital clock behind her, "Quarter after eight."

"Mm…" she nestled up against his chest again.

She felt him move a little and his lips make contact with the top of her head, "I have to open the shop at nine."

She jumped up, "Wha-?"

He gave a small chuckle, "I just have to shower, and that takes ten minutes, tops. We still have plenty of time."

She settled down again, "We never finished with the cookies, did we?"

"Nope."

"I need to get those to Marlene's school by ten…"

"If you want, you could finish up with those while I'm downstairs."

"You trust me in your house?"

"You gonna waste my good mood?" he said with a smile, clearly mocking her.

She gave a small laugh, "Then that just leaves us with one small problem."

"What's that?"

"Who's gonna get up first?"

**(Yuffie, 8:23 a.m.)**

Yuffie yawned and looked around. She glanced at the pristine white walls neatly lined with wooden shelves. _'Where am I…?'_ she thought as she looked behind her, _'Ohhh… Frick. Frick, frick, frick. This canNOT end well… I knew I shouldn't have come back…!'_ The man lying beside her stirred and opened his eyes, and she grinned sheepishly and gave him a small wave, thinking, _'Thank Leviathan I'm still dressed…'_

**(Aeris, 8:34 a.m.)**

"_Ahem._"

Aeris jumped awake at the sound and looked around from her spot on the sofa, tucked in between the back of the couch and Genesis. She smiled shyly when she saw her mother standing in the doorway of the living room with her hands on her hips. She gave hopeful grin as she felt Genesis rub her back, otherwise pretending to be asleep, and said, "Morning, Mom…"

"Aeris…" she shook her head back and forth, "What am I supposed to do with you?"

"Um…" she looked back and forth, looking for an excuse. Finally she settled on poking her boyfriend in the ribs and proclaiming, "He told me he loved me!"

"For something like this he better have asked you to marry him… Wait. What?"

"He said he loved me!" she said, her smile wider than one would think possible.

"At least you're still dressed."

Genesis jumped up at that comment, "Are you saying you were expecting otherwise?"

"Goddess, no!" Ifalna gave a small laugh, "Though you two might want to get up before your father gets up… and breakfast is in twenty."

Genesis watched Ifalna leave and turned to face Aeris, "I take it your mother doesn't like you to be with men?"

"Oh, no. She's been trying to hook me up with someone for a long time now."

"You misunderstand me. I meant, _with_ a man."

She cocked her head in confusion, "Huh?"

He dropped his head into his palm, "Let me be clear. Sex."

"Oh!" she sat up, getting off of Genesis, "Oh!"

He looked to the ceiling, "Thus, the light is shed…"

**(Cloud, 8:49 a.m.)**

Cloud walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel, to find Tifa sitting on the now-spotless counter, swinging her feet back and forth. She smiled a little when he came out and hopped off the counter and clasped her hands behind her back shyly, "Um, about last night…"

He sat down on one of the barstools at the counter and took her hands in his, "What's up?"

"I… think we moved too fast…"

"Yeah… I thought so, too."

"Really?"

He nodded and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah…"

She smiled, "Want to give this another shot?"

"Yeah," he held his hand out, "I'm Cloud."

She laughed and hopped back onto the counter, "Why don't we just forget last night? I mean, I don't really want to forget anything else… The diner was fun… Meeting Vincent… Making cookies…"

He held up his hands in an exaggerated surrender, "Okay, sounds good."

"So… Now what?" Tifa jumped as the timer on the oven started buzzing, "Um, I should probably get that…"

He watched as she slid off the counter and walked around it to check the cookies. He reached out and grabbed one of the chocolate chip cookies off the cooling rack and took a bite. She turned around to catch him in the act and laughed, shaking her head. He said, "When you're done, just lock the door and come on down."

"Gotcha!" she smiled at him as he made his way down the stairs.

He walked past the door to the greenhouse and into the shop. He walked over to the main entrance and flipped the closed sign to open and unlocked the door. He moved behind the counter and flipped the light switches and pulled on an apron. He grabbed some flowers from the pot on the side and started mixing them together.

**(Zack, 9:23 a.m.)**

Zack sat up in bed, feeling depressed since Tifa still hadn't contacted him. He jumped and gave a little yelp when he saw Angeal leaning against the doorframe. He grinned, "Morning, Sunshine! Good to see you awake! …And alone."

"Hey! I told you! I like Tifa!" he said as he threw off his covers and threw his legs over the side of the bed.

"Whatever… You know what I think of her." He shook his head, "Mr. Tseng wants to start shooting at noon. And knowing how long you take in the shower, I thought I'd get you up now."

"Gee, thanks."

He shrugged, "Showers are to you like coffee is to normal people. You just can't function without it," he held up the mug in his hands to show what he meant.

"Eh, bugger off, Angeal!"

"It's amazing I can put up with you…"

"Hey!"

**(Aeris, 9:32 a.m.)**

Aeris stood at the sink, helping her father with the dishes from breakfast. She gave a small scream when she felt two arms snake around her waist. She glanced over her shoulder to see Genesis standing there. He asked, "Need help?"

Aeris looked back and forth nervously between her father and boyfriend. Gast replied, "I don't think so. In fact, I think I can handle the rest. Aeris, why don't you show Genesis around?"

"Are you sure, Dad?"

He shot her a stern look, "Yes, I'm sure. Go have fun, you two."

Genesis nodded, "Thank you, Dr. Faremis."

"Have you met Kwehkers, Genesis?"

"Yes, I have, Sir."

He laughed, "Such a respectful young man! Take care of Rissy, you hear?"

Genesis moved his hands to Aeris's shoulders, "I intend to."

The girl looked back at him in shock, "Genny…!"

He smiled at her, "You don't like that?"

He moved an arm to her waist and led her away from the sink. "Just not used to it," she chuckled.

"Well, you'd better start."

She rested her head on his shoulder, "I'd like that."

**(Cloud, 9:46 a.m.)**

Cloud finished setting up a bouquet in a vase and moved back behind the counter as Tifa walked in holding two plastic, zip-top bags full of cookies. She held up the bags, "I hope you don't mind…"

"It's fine. I'm more surprised you found anything to keep them in in that kitchen."

"It wasn't _that_ bad…" she said as she made her way over to him.

He turned around and leaned against the counter, "Here we are… All alone in an empty store…"

She stopped in front of him and set the cookies down on the counter behind him, "What'd you have in mind?"

He set his hands on her waist and pulled her a little closer, "I don't know… How much time d'you have 'til you have to leave?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and glanced at the clock, "Five minutes."

"Well, that's plenty of time to-"

"Well, well, well… What's going on here?"

Cloud didn't even turn around, "What is it, Yuffie?"

The tiny Wutaian girl walked further into the shop, "Cloud, Cloud, Cloud…" She paused, eyes widening, "Tifa!? Is that you!?"

Tifa smiled over Cloud's shoulder, "Hey, Yuffie." She smiled happily and tightened her grip on the blond, "I guess I should thank you for giving Cloud my number…"

Cloud played along, pulling her closer, "Careful, Yuffie has a freaky knack for remembering what she does when she's drunk."

Yuffie snorted, "That's not always a good thing, you know."

Cloud glanced over his shoulder towards his friend, "You know what? I believe you."

Tifa used one hand to turn Cloud's face back towards her and planted a kiss on his lips, which he happily returned. Yuffie made an 'ew' face and audibly gagged, "Oh, Great Leviathan… If I _ever_ thought you two would hook up and get freaky with it, I would've saved us all a lot of time and just got you two a room _years _ago!"

Cloud turned to face the girl once more, "Who ever said we got freaky?"

"I can tell!"

"How?" Tifa twisted a hand through Cloud's spikes.

Yuffie watched her friend's actions and raised an eyebrow, "Well, what you're doing now tells me enough… But, then there's the fact that you didn't freak out when I said you were getting it on…"

Cloud shrugged, "Caught red-handed…" He rested his head beside Tifa's, trailing light kisses from her temple down to her jaw.

"Ew! That is so gross!" Yuffie ran out of the store making disgusted sounds.

Cloud looked at Tifa, "Got rid of her, anyway…"

She laughed and pulled back, "I should probably go…"

He looked her in the eye, "Want to have dinner tonight? I'm buying."

She smiled, "I'd like that."

"I close at five. Stop by around then, okay? And wear something nice," he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She laughed, "Sure. What street is this again?"

"Seventh."

"Why is that so hard to remember?" she shook her head, "I gotta come up with some way to remember that…"

He leaned back against the counter and smiled, "Seven rhymes with heaven." She laughed, pausing after a minute. He cocked his head, "What is it?"

"You know… I think I need to talk to my mates for a second."

He raised an eyebrow, "Mates?"

She laughed again, "My bandmates. Yuffie, Barret and Reno. You saw them two nights ago, remember?"

"Not really. I was watching you the whole night."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think that was creepy."

"So, you do know better?"

"Yeah. You're not a crazy stalker or anything. Just a man watching a woman in a short skirt. Can you believe the original skirt Yuffie gave me was shorter than that?"

His eyebrows went straight up, "You sure she wasn't playing matchmaker? She was pretty insistent that I was there…"

She shoved his shoulder, "Ugh, you… I'm leaving…" She grabbed the cookies off the counter and left, calling behind her, "See you at five."

**(Tifa, 10:18 a.m.)**

Tifa pulled up in her driveway after dropping the cookies off with Marlene and ran up to the house. She threw the door open, "Reno! Reno? Where are you?"

He walked into the living room holding a guitar, his face unshaven, "Well, where were you last night, Princess?"

"Not important. I have a great idea for a new name!"

"Ho, boy. What is it?"

"Seventh Heaven!"

"…Where'd that come from?"

"It just came to me, okay?"

"Geez, no need to get all snippety, Princess."

"So, anyway. What do you think?"

"I'll let you know if you tell me where you were last night."

"Bastard."

**(Zack, 11:36 a.m.)**

Zack walked into his trailer and picked up his cell phone, checking his messages. He flipped through the menus until he found the 'missed calls' section and went into it. He found two calls in there, _'Mom and… Who is that? Maybe it's Tifa!'_

He pressed the button to listen to the message and held it to his ear, "Hey, it's me, Tifa. Reno said you stopped by? Sorry I wasn't there. I had some shopping to do and then I spent the night with a friend. I didn't talk to Reno until this morning… So, uh, yeah. Call me back?"

He sighed, _'She spent the night with a 'friend'…? Crap…'_

**(Aeris, 1:47 p.m.)**

Aeris climbed into the car, waving, "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! See you later!"

Genesis gave a much smaller wave, "Thank you for having me, Dr. and Mrs. Faremis."

Ifalna waved her hand in a nonchalant way, "Call me 'Mom'."

Aeris went wide-eyed, "Mom!"

"What?"

Aeris dropped her head in defeat, "Mom…"

Genesis set a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, "We'll visit again soon, Mom."

Aeris turned to glare at him, "Genny…"

He shrugged, "She told me to call her that. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side and disobey her wishes, now would I?"

"Genny…"

"What?"

She shook her head, "Never mind…"

**(Cloud, 2:18 p.m.)**

Cloud sat on the counter of his shop, twisting flower stems together. His cell phone started vibrating in his pocket and he pulled it out, checked the I.D, and flipped it open, "Hey, Luc. What's up?"

"Well… Someone's in a good mood."

"So? I'm allowed to be, now and then."

"Now I'm curious! What's got my lil' brother so happy?"

"None of yer damn business."

"So much for that. Anyway, I was calling to find out what's going on tomorrow."

"What happens then?"

"I come home, that's what!"

He imagined her putting her hands on her hips, like she always did when she was getting irritated. He shook his head, "Oh, yeah. And?"

"And I need you to pick me up."

"How'd you get there to begin with?"

"A friend brought me to the train station, but he's busy tomorrow and can't pick me up."

"Great. All I have is Fenrir, so you better not have brought too much luggage."

"You and I both know there're compartments on the front."

"Yeah. That're designed for swords."

"Why in the world would you design your motorcycle to hold _swords_?"

"Why in the hell would you ask your brother with a motorcycle to pick you up?"

"Ask Vincent if you can borrow his car."

"I can't drive stick and you know it."

"Does one of your other friends have a car?"

"I notice you don't ask if Vincent can drive."

"…What are you implying?"

"Nothing. Fine. I'll be there."

"Good."

"What time?"

"My train gets in at ten-fifteen."

"Fine," he flipped the phone closed and stuffed it in his pocket.

**(Zack, 2:43 p.m.)**

"Cut!"

Zack relaxed and fell back from where he was standing next to Scarlet with his arms around her waist. _'Thank the goddess…'_ he thought as he walked over towards the director.

Tseng eyed him, "Mr. Fair. Is something wrong?"

"No, Sir. Why?"

"You're acting is… subpar."

"I can't think of anything that's been bothering me, Sir…" he said before thinking, _'Except the fact that I'm supposed to be with Scarlet, and that the love of my life was with another man last night… Wait. Did I just call her the love of my life? Geez, Zack, get it together!'_ By now, he'd convinced himself that Tifa had been sleeping with a man, after listing off the various possibilities of parents, best friend, Barret, next-door neighbor, cousin, grandparents…

"Well, then, start acting the way you usually do. If I don't see an improvement…"

"Yes, Sir," he sighed and turned back to Scarlet, silently gagging to himself.

**(Tifa, 3:39 p.m.)**

Tifa walked out of the bathroom after her shower and proceeded to the garage, dressed in a towel. She started sifting through her dresser, _'Let's see… He said to 'wear something nice'…'_ she froze amidst her digging,'_What the hell? Why am I so eager to impress him…? He… he's just some guy… So what if we did 'it'…'_ She heard the door open behind her and she groaned, "What is it, Reno?"

He raised his eyebrows at her attire, "I was jus' gonna let you know I'm takin' off…"

"Okay, when'll you be back?"

"In time for cocoa. You?"

"What makes you think I'm leaving?"

"Clue one: You didn't come home last night." He raised his fingers as he counted, "Clue two: You've been freakishly happy all day, meaning you really hit it off with whoever you were with. Clue three: You never spend two hours in the bathroom unless you have a hot date. Clue four: An excuse to distance yourself from Zack Fair…"

"Why do you keep pushing that!?"

"Because… you need to get back out there…"

"Reno, I'm 'getting back out there' with this guy… and I really like him…"

"Alright, Princess… If it's what you really want…"

"It is… He's sweet, charming, handsome, adorable, respectful..."

"If you say so…"

"I do."

"Whoa… Little early to be sayin' that, innit?"

"Reno!"

**(Aeris, 4:03 p.m.)**

Aeris and Genesis sat side-by-side on her bed, leaning back on her pillows, watching an old black-and-white movie on her TV. He had his arm wrapped over her shoulders as he picked up the remote and pressed pause. "Hey!" she cried, "I was watching that!"

"Aeris…"

She looked over at him, "Huh?"

"It's just… I'm surprised by how accepting you are of me…"

"What d'you mean?"

"Well, it was just last Thursday that I let you know how I felt, and then I had to go off and tell you I loved you yesterday…"

"Genny…" she paused, "How long have you felt this way?"

"I was attracted to you from the moment I laid eyes on you, and I started to get serious after about a year or so of knowing you… And… I knew I loved you when I kissed you…"

"Genny… You know what…?"

"Hm?"

"I… I think I might feel the same way… But I need a little time to be sure, okay?" she snuggled up against his side, looking up at him with bright eyes.

"Of course… Take all the time you need…" he whispered as he leaned closer to her, conquering her lips with his own.

**(Zack, 4:37 p.m.)**

Zack flipped open his cell phone with one hand and steered his Gabbiani with the other. He pressed and held speed dial number three, recently assigned to Tifa. The phone buzzed for a minute before she answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, Tifa. It's me, Zack."

"Oh, Hi. What's up?"

"Sorry I didn't get around to calling sooner; I was filming all day."

"That's fine. Reno was bugging me all day with his new idea for a song."

"Huh… Say, you wanna get together? I know this great restaurant…"

"Ohh… Sorry. Someone else beat you to it. I'm on my way to dinner now…"

'_She doesn't sound all that sad…'_ he thought before replying, "Oh, well, that's cool. Hope you have fun."

"I'll try."

'_Time for my trump card…'_ he smiled, "Hey, Tifa? Think we could meet up tomorrow? I have a surprise for you…"

"Sure. How 'bout lunch?"

'_Not as romantic as dinner, but, hey, I'll take it…'_ he shrugged before realizing she couldn't see it, "Great! I'll pick you up at your place around noonish?"

"That'd be great. See you then?"

"Yeah."

He hung up and turned to the left, feeling depressed. _'I don't know how much longer I can take this… I think I need to get hammered… Let's see… I think that club we were filming at was just down this way…'_

**(Cloud, 4:56 p.m.)**

Cloud finished up with his flowers and started wrapping up, cleaning off the counter and putting his shears away. He untied his apron and hung it on the wall behind the counter when he heard the bell on the door jingle. He started to turn around, "Welcome to Strife Flor-" He cut off when he saw Tifa standing there in slinky black skirt with an embroidered aqua top that left her belly button visible and a black mini jacket. He gave her a quick once over out of habit and couldn't resist letting out a whistle that was accompanied by a teasing smile.

She laughed, "I remember how much you like short skirts."

His eyebrows went up and he forced himself to check the clock, "It's officially closing time. Let me just run upstairs and change. Wouldn't want to be under-dressed, after all."

"Hah! To compare with this get-up, you'll have to go shirtless."

"I said I _wouldn't_ want to under-dress."

She shook her head, "Just so you know, I'm not some kinda slut who wears this sort of thing all the time."

"I know you're not. You told me yesterday, remember?"

"Huh?"

"You said you've only been with one guy before now…"

"Oh, that."

"Well, I'm gonna go change. You wanna come up, too? I need to lock up."

"Oh, sure! I mean, I wouldn't want to be in the way…"

He chuckled and whispered in her ear as he walked past her, "You'll never be in my way…"

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was meant to be," he said as he locked the door. He gestured towards the door to the stairs and she started through, pausing when he did to turn out the lights. He took a step closer, "Are we pretending we never kissed, too?"

She shifted her weight a little, "Why?"

He looked her in the eye, "Because it's killing me to hold back."

"I guess… Go ahead. At least I know you tried, right?" she gave him a small smile as he took a step closer and tipped his chin down a little in order to capture her lips. He pulled back, keeping it short and to the point and his tongue in his mouth where it belonged.

He smiled back, "Now that's what I call a proper greeting."

She laughed, "Go change. I'm getting hungry."

"Wouldn't want to leave a lady famished, now would I?"

"Just go."

He ran up the stairs, taking them three at a time, and dug his keys out of his pocket and opened the door. He pulled his t-shirt off as he made his way to his room, where he found a virtuously wrinkle-less white button-down shirt and pulled it on. He switched his baggy jeans for a pair of straight-legged black ones and found the black blazer he'd bought a few years back for his honors society enunciation ceremony back when he'd been in college. He tugged it on as he went back into the main room, cringing when it altered his bandages, _'Gotta talk to Vincent about getting some Restore Materia…'_ When he came into the living room, he found Tifa sitting on the couch gently caressing one of his side blades. He walked over to her, "Ah, that's pretty sharp… You probably shouldn't…"

"Is it yours?"

"Yeah… It's something of a hobby."

"Collecting them or using them?" the spite in her tone was very clear, even to someone as dense as he was.

"Both… kind of. I don't use them on people, if that's what you mean. Well, I have a friendly spar with my friends now and then, but I don't… kill," he struggled over the last word.

She sounded hopeful, "Really?"

"Really. I've never killed. They're more for scaring people off."

"I see…"

"Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you ask? Most women I've been with are gushing over the fact that I can fight, not cursing me for it."

She choked on her words, "It's just… My last relationship… He wasn't exactly the nicest guy… He used swords… on people… Without mercy…" She hugged her knees to her chest and rocked a little, tears starting to fall.

He sat down next to her and wrapped one hand across her shoulders and used the other to wipe away her tears, "Tifa… Why are you telling me this? We've only known each other for two days…"

"I… I trust you. And I want you to understand why I don't like swords…"

"Well, I can promise you I've never taken a life. Ever."

She looked up at him, a faint smile amidst her tears, "Okay. Let's go eat."

His lips quirked into a smile, "I think you'll be glad you wore a short skirt when you see my ride."

**(Tifa, 5:18 p.m.)**

"Holy frick!" Tifa's jaw hit the floor when she saw Cloud's 'ride'. She walked over to it, "I have _never_ seen a bike like this…!"

He walked over to it and stroked it tenderly, "My pride and joy. I modified it myself, with the help of a couple friends here and there…"

She bent down to get a better look, "Does it have a name?"

"Fenrir."

She looked up at him, "What's that mean?"

"It's mythological. It's the name of the wolf that slew the lord of all gods during the end of the world, or Ragnarok."

"Huh… God-slayer, huh? Any reason why?"

"Not really. I'd heard the name and thought it sounded cool."

She laughed; glad to be back to cheery self again, "Let's ride."

"Let's." He swung a leg over the back and sat down, waiting for her to join him. She climbed on the back, glad she was behind him because of her skirt, and wrapped her arms around his waist; reveling in the feeling of safety she got from him. He looked over his shoulder at her, "You ready?"

"Yep. Ready and hungry."

He laughed and pulled a pair of goggles off of the handlebars and slid them on. He started the engine and steered it out of the garage. They drove down the narrow alleyway behind the store and out into the street. He glanced over his shoulder and answered the question she hadn't asked, "The garages are built on the backs of the buildings to make them more appealing to customers. This skinny little alley is all we get to get out to the streets. Its times like this I'm glad I ride a bike."

She laughed, "Makes sense. Besides, the bike suits you."

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks." He reached behind him, still facing forward, and wrapped both hands around her back.

She closed her eyes and hugged him tighter, "Please drive!"

"I am."

She opened her eyes a little to see them taking a corner. She glanced down to see his arms still around her, and then looked back up to see a smile on his face. She shouted over the engine, "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

She gave him a dark look that he probably didn't see, "You know what I'm talking about."

He laughed, "I told you, I modified it myself. On top of being incredibly stylish, I can also control the throttle with my feet and steer with my hips," he twisted a little, turning the bike around a corner, "Like that."

"Wow… How did you do that? Modify a bike like that, I mean."

"I took a couple of engineering classes during college because my sister insisted I get a 'useful' degree and that was the only thing on her list that I actually liked. Other than that, I figured it out between books and the internet."

Her eyebrows went up, "I'm impressed…"

He smiled over his shoulder, "Glad to hear it."

Feeling a little more comfortable with his hands on her back, she leaned forward, resting on his back as he drove the rest of the way without his right hand, eventually moving his left forward again since twisting it like that was apparently straining his wound.

**(Aeris, 5:30 p.m.)**

Aeris sighed and fixed a drink for one of the patrons of the Lucky Girl. Genesis stood at the other end of the bar, shooting her a smile now and then that she returned. The night was still young, but the bar was already filling with customers. A hip-hop song blared throughout the neon-lit room, and Aeris bobbed her head to the music a little, truly happy at work for the first time in a long time. She wore a goofy grin while making drinks and chatting with customers. At one point, Genesis moved down to her end of the bar to get some more rum and discretely placed a hand on her hip, making her jump a little at the contact. She covered it up and smiled sweetly at the guy who'd ordered a drink.

**(Zack, 6:01 p.m.)**

Zack finally found his way back to the Lucky Girl after finding it closed the first time around. He'd kept himself busy watching some of his old TV interviews on his MP3-video player. By the time he'd looked at the clock, he'd found it was well into the five o'clock hour and decided to follow through with his original intentions of getting drunk. He made his way down the stairs into the club and headed for the bar. He sat on a stool and looked up to get the barkeepers attention. A smile crossed his face as he recognized her, "Hey, Millie! 'Member me?"

She looked at him for a minute, "Oh! Um, hi…"

He grinned even wider, _'Maybe this night won't be such a waste…'_ He brushed a hand through his hair, "Do you make Costa del Solace's?"

"Sure do."

"Costa del Solace… What a weird name for a drink…"

"Who comes up with the names for these drinks anyway?"

"Good question!"

"Huh?" she glanced sideways down the counter.

Zack followed her gaze to see her staring at the other bartender, a man with reddish-brown hair that, when he thought about it, looked a little familiar. He couldn't place where he'd seen him before, but he knew his face from somewhere. He turned back to the girl who played Millie, "Alright," he traced his finger on the counter to draw out four little squares, "We surveyed one hundred people. Top four answers on the board. The question is: Who names alcoholic beverages?"

She burst out laughing, "D-don't be ridiculous…"

"I'm not. C'mon, um, Millie. You're up first."

"My name is Aeris. And, um, I'll say… drunkards?"

"Ding ding ding! That's the number two answer! On to… Aeris!"

"Oh! I'll say… People who need money!"

"Oh, and there's the number one answer! Two more on the board! Your turn, Aeris!"

"I'll say… artists?"

"Errrt…" he made a buzzer sound, "Nope. Aeris?"

"Uhm… bartenders?"

"Ooh… There's number three! Aaand… Aeris!"

"Oh! Oh! Oh! I think it's…"

He made the buzzer sound, "You took too much time. Back around to you, Aeris!"

A mischievous smile spread across her face, "I've got it now! Drunkard's spouses!"

"Ahhh…" he scratched the back of his head, "That's better then what I had… Eh, I'll give it to you. Yay! You won!"

"Yeah!" she gave a little hop and pumped a fist in the air.

The male bartender made his way down, "Aeris? Is something wrong?"

She turned to face him, "Oh! Genesis! I'm okay. Why?"

He leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Zack waited a minute, curious as to what was happening. Aeris started whispering back and he couldn't help but notice how close they were. Finally, she started laughing and slapped the other man on the chest good-naturedly. He smiled and shook his head, laughing a little himself. He paused and, Zack was sure, glared at him out of the corner of his eye before leaning down and kissing Aeris. Zack's eyebrows rose for a second before realizing she was returning it. He sighed and stood, grabbing his Costa del Solace on the way. He made his way to a booth and sat down, pulling a ponytail out of his jacket and tying back the longer strands of his mane. He had his normal shades on and leaned over his drink, slightly surprised that no one was bothering him.

"Excuse me…"

Spoke to soon. He glanced up to see a girl in her late teens-early twenties standing there with a drink in her hand. Her red hair fell in small curls around her face and he gave a mental shrug, "Yeah?"

"Are you… drinking alone?"

"Yeah. You?"

She nodded, "My best friend just got a boyfriend, so I'm kinda S.O.L… You mind if I join you?"

He gestured towards the opposite seat, "'Course not."

She sat down and held out her hand, "I'm Cissnei."

He slid down his shades and winked, "Zack."

Her eyes widened, "Zack… Fair?"

He nodded, "Yeah. You've heard of me?"

"Who hasn't?"

"Quite a few people, I'm sure…"

"Well, I'm not one of them… Why are you, of all people, drinking alone?"

He shrugged, "Sometimes, you just gotta get away from it all…"

She cocked her head a little, "Then why come to a bar where you've been filming?"

"You know… That didn't really cross my mind…"

She shook her head, "Aeris was right… You are much more laid-back than the press says…"

"You know Aeris?"

"Yeah. She's my best friend. The one that just got a boyfriend."

"I'm guessing that's the other bartender, huh?"

"Yep. Genesis Rhapsodos. Ex-smooth-talking flirt, now full-time boyfriend. She's so lucky…"

Zack got the feeling she'd forgotten who she'd been talking to, so he said, "Hey, Cissnei? Wanna hang out with me tonight? I've got nowhere to be…"

**(Cloud, 6:17 p.m.)**

Cloud sat in Branford's, a fancy Junon-style restaurant, across the table from Tifa while they waited on their food. She rested her chin on her palm, "So… When were you going to tell me you were psychic?"

He looked up at her, "Huh?"

"How'd you know that was Yuffie this morning? Or Vincent yesterday?"

He smiled and leaned back in his chair, "Through a highly attuned sense of logic, and a distinguished ability to adapt to spontaneous situations."

She laughed, "So, how _did_ you know?"

He returned the laugh, "Yuffie has freakishly quiet footsteps, must be a contrast to her incredibly loud mouth," he shook his head, "So, the silence after the door opened told me it was her; and Vincent? He's the only one with a house key."

She slapped a hand over her face, "I should've known…" She paused, "What about your sister?"

"Luc's been out of town all weekend. She gets back tomorrow; which reminds me… I need to get a ride to pick her up from the train station. She's one of those women who packs way too much, so Fenrir's out of the question."

"I could take you," she looked at him over the top of her wine glass, "I don't have anything planned."

"Nah, you don't have to…"

She looked at him through her lashes and said, with it being her turn to mock him, "If it means spending more time with you…"

He laughed, "While I'd love the opportunity, I couldn't ask you to…"

"Oh, come on… Please?"

"If you really want to... I admit, it would be fun to see Luc's face if you were standing on the platform with me…"

She smiled, "Then it's a date."

**(Tifa, 7:05 p.m.)**

She smiled at the man sitting opposite her as he refilled her glass with a clear white wine. "So… Tell me more about yourself."

He set the bottle back on the table, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I know you like your bike, swords; you're a loyal friend and you run a flower shop. Tell me something else about you."

"Something fun, or something personal?"

She leaned back a little, taken aback by the question, "Whatever you feel comfortable telling me."

He slumped in his chair a little and reached out with one hand to lightly stroke the edge of his glass. He sighed, "My dad left a little after I was born. My mom took my sister and me here to Midgar, where she struggled to raise us alone. After a few years, she managed to open our shop… I grew up, never knowing my dad, but my sister was old enough to remember him. Whenever my dad was mentioned, she'd get all teary-eyed and run off crying. My mom didn't really seem to be bothered by it, saying some crap like 'he left for the good of us all. He'll come back someday!' My sister and I ended up going to a crummy school that ran all the way up to junior high. It was pretty much hell."

She had been content remaining silent, but felt compelled to ask, "How come?"

He gave a short chuckle, "Believe or not, I was kind of a runt. The pathetic kid who got wedgies during gym and dunked in the trash after lunch. Needless to say, I wasn't very popular."

"Sorry for my boldness, but what the hell happened? I never would've guessed you…" she struggled to find a way to word her thoughts, "got treated like that in school."

"What did you guess?" The waiter arrived and set their food down before them before giving a small bow and leaving.

"Honestly? Football player or wrestler or some other sports player."

"Really? That's kind of ironic, seeing as to how they were the ones who treated me like shit." He shook his head, "Anyway, my life flipped around when I got to high school. Well, sort of. On the first day of school, the same guys and, I'm not ashamed to say, girls were up to their normal treatment of me, having discovered the oversized dumpsters out front of the building. Someone came over and stopped them. A senior. I guess he took pity on me and helped me out. The other kids ran when a senior entered the field. My first question was whether my sister had sent him or not. He replied saying he didn't know who I was, let alone my sister. That's how I met Vincent. He took me under his wing and taught me everything I know and trained me in combat. We became best friends after that and he introduced me to his friends, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. Our little posse formed and Yuffie entered the scene during my freshman year of college. Another guy, a high school kid, joined around the end of last year. Two years ago, my mom died. She was killed by a guy in a gang who was trying to prove his superiority. She was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. By that time, I'd been in college, working on my second semester of my sophomore year. I quit school to run the shop while my sister struggled through grad school."

"Wow… I never saw that coming…"

"So, what's your story?"

"Well, I was born and raised in Nibelheim, a tiny little town out near-"

"I know where it is."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah."

"The only people who know where it is have had some connection to it… What's yours?"

"I was born there. That's where we lived before coming to Midgar."

"Really? Anyway, I was a teenager, hitting that stage when everything is all about you, you know? When I really wanted my mom to help me out and notice me, but she was always tired and couldn't handle everything I wanted. I know, I was a huge brat when I was younger. Anyway, I found out a little later that my mom was pregnant with my little sister, Marlene. At first, I hated her for trying to ruin our little family by making it bigger. My dad tried to help by telling me all the stuff I could do with my younger sibling-to-be, but I only saw the bad stuff. You know, diapers, crying, potty-training… It only made matters worse when my mom started hemorrhaging while giving birth… She died of blood loss. I blamed my sister, thinking, _knowing_, that it was her fault that my mom was gone… I blamed her… She was two before my father convinced me to give her a chance. Once I did, I fell in love with her. She's the sweetest, cutest, smartest kid you'll ever meet. We moved to Midgar after my mom…" she shook her head, "I was eighteen when my dad died in an accident while working with his construction job. I didn't have a job and couldn't afford to stay in our house. We moved in with a family friend, a guy named Barret, our drummer, who took care of us. After a year or so of sharing the couch with my sister, I moved in with another friend and left Marlene at Barret's place. And that's pretty much where I am now."

He sat there, silently holding his glass, "Looks like we both have dark pasts."

"I guess so. I think I'd say hard, not dark, though."

"I guess…" he looked up, "Hey, Tifa?"

She met his gaze, "Hm?"

"Wanna head home?"

"I guess…"

With the most convenient timing, the waiter arrived with the check, which Tifa tried to help Cloud with. He gave her a small smile and shook his head, pulling out his wallet and stuck the proper amount of gil inside the leather booklet. Then he stood up and held a hand to Tifa, who smiled and gave a little laugh, saying, "Cloud, I didn't think you were such a gentleman…"

He smiled, "There're a lot of things you don't know about me." He laced his fingers through hers and raised her hand up to his lips, placing a light kiss on her knuckles.

"I'd like to know all about you…"

"And I'd like to tell you," he said as he started walking towards the door, gently pulling her with him. She smiled and let him guide her to the parking lot where he climbed onto Fenrir and tugged her onto his lap. She felt a rush of excitement run down her spine as he leaned over her and kissed her. She could _taste_ the passion in him as he pulled her closer. She wrapped her arms over his shoulders and hugged him tightly, knowing deep in her gut that it was right, that it was what she needed to do. That he needed it too. He released her lips after a few minutes to catch his breath. They were both breathing raggedly as she curled up against him, burying her face in his neck. She hated feeling this vulnerable, but she couldn't help it when she was with him. She whispered into the semi-darkness of the approaching night, "Cloud…?" His reply was more of a grunt than anything else, a sign to let her know he was listening. She continued, "Cloud… Can I… ask you a question…? It could be taken personally…"

She felt his cheek gently touch hers as he whispered, "You can ask me anything…"

"Could I…"

"Anything…"

"Could I… write a song about you?"

He shoulders stiffened for a minute, "What?"

"A song… You're past… It's so painful… I can't help but feel there's a song in there somewhere…"

"I guess so…"

"You'll get a private showing when it's done…"

"I'd like that…"

_**Tuesday…**_

**(Zack, 9:32 a.m.)**

Zack woke up the next day in his bed in the Sector One hotel. He looked to his left to find the tiny redhead from the night before curled up beside him, sleeping peacefully. He lifted his hand and started stroking her hair softly, so as to not wake her, _'Cissnei, huh? Tifa… Maybe she was right… Maybe I was just looking for a challenge… I guess you made your choice, just like I made mine…'_ He reached over, grabbed his cell phone and pressed and held '3'. He held the phone by his ear, waiting. Finally, her voicemail picked up and he left a message, "Hey, Tifa. It's me, Zack. I'm just calling to let you know I won't be able to make it to lunch today…" he rubbed Cissnei's shoulder, "Stupid work, always getting in the way. Well, I'll talk to you again sometime. 'Bye." He snapped the phone shut and set it on his nightstand.

**(Cloud, 9:43 a.m.)**

He pulled Fenrir into the driveway of the small suburban home and got off. He walked to the front door and, for lack of a doorbell, knocked. He waited a minute and heard footsteps on the other side. The inner door opened and a redheaded man stood there. Cloud thought he looked a little familiar, and figured it must've been when he saw Tifa's group perform. The man watched him, "Whadda you want?"

"I'm here to see Tifa."

The redhead said nothing, only urged Cloud back by opening the screen door and stepping onto the porch. He walked down the two steps, motioning for the blond to follow, and stopped in front of the garage. Cloud waited, unsure of what he was doing, and watched as he grabbed the handle and lifted the large door. A feminine voice, unmistakably Tifa's, started shouting from within, cursing, "Augh! Reno, you son-of-a-bitch! What the hell!?"

The redhead, Reno, walked in and squatted down next to her bed and ruffled her hair, which was beautiful and somehow silken even when tangled in an illegible mess. He laughed, "Hey, Princess. Ya got company." He nodded his head towards where Cloud waited by his bike, who gave her a small smile and a half-wave.

She gasped and jumped out of bed, "Oh, my goddess! Cloud! What are you doing here for?"

"You said you'd help me scrape my sister up at the train station, remember?"

"Oh, crap…" she ran around the garage, shifting through clothes, bedcovers, and other ambiguous objects as she asked, "How much time do I have?"

He glanced at his watch, "Ten minutes, give or take."

Reno watched the two for a minute, and then turned to 'the Princess' and thrust a thumb in Cloud's direction, "So, this him?"

Tifa looked up from where she'd discovered a pair of wrinkled jeans and gave a sly smile, "Yeah… Reno, Cloud. Cloud, Reno. Reno plays guitar for our group, Cloud saw our show last Saturday and swindled my number off of Yuffie."

Cloud raised his hands defensively, "She gave me Tifa's number by her own free will."

Reno shook his head, sending his long red hair across his shoulders. He looked down at it and pulled a ponytail off his wrist and pulled it back. He shrugged, "Eh, whatever. Like I care. Teefs can take of herself. Can't you, Princess?"

Tifa didn't look as she shot him the finger over her shoulder, "Yeah, of course I can, Reno." She finished finding her clothes and held up a much more polite finger in a 'just a sec' manner and ran into the house.

**(Aeris, 10:07 a.m.)**

Aeris walked down the sidewalk after her nine o'clock class and jumped when her cell phone started ringing. She dug it out of her pocket, "Hey, Genny! What's up?"

"I was wondering if you'd want to get dinner some time…"

"You mean, like a date?"

"Exactly like that. I haven't exactly gotten the chance to take you out before now…"

"Alright. What time?"

"Seven tonight?"

"Sounds good. What's the attire?"

"Black tie."

"Really?"

"Well, not extremely… I mean, you'd be fine with a cocktail dress or something…"

She giggled, "I won't even ask why you know that term… But alright. I'll wear something really nice, just for you, Genny!" She paused for a minute, "Genny?"

"I'm still here."

"I love you."

**(Tifa, 10:21 a.m.)**

After retrieving her car from Cloud's place where it had stayed all night, they made their way to the train station. Tifa pulled into the parking lot and checked her watch, "You go on ahead. I'll find a space and meet you inside. You said platform three, right?"

Cloud gave her smile, "Yeah." He leaned across the armrest and kissed her, taking almost a full minute before pulling back and climbing out of the car. She drove the car around the crowded lot and finally found a space and pulled into it. She climbed out, slid a couple of gil into the parking meter and headed for the door. She made her way to platform three and spotted Cloud down the way with a tall, brown-haired woman hugging him tightly. Tifa couldn't help but feel a little jealous, but she figured from Cloud's stiff posture that he wasn't enjoying it. She started laughing a little and he heard her, turning his head a little and raising his arm at the elbow to beckon her over. His sister, who was taller than him with her heels on, turned to see who he waving to. A confused expression crossed her face when she saw Tifa make her way over. Tifa moved to shake the other woman's hand, but Cloud reached out, caught her hand and pulled her against him. He tilted his chin to get more comfortable and pressed his lips to hers, obviously wanting to show her off to his sister.

Tifa heard a feminine voice from next to her, "Cloud Tempest Strife!"

Cloud pulled back and smiled at Tifa before turning to face his sister, "My sister, Lucrecia Crescent-Strife. My-" he paused and looked at Tifa for second before finishing, "My girlfriend, Tifa Lockhart."

"Um, it's nice to meet you…" Tifa held her hand out to the older woman.

"Yes, the feeling's mutual. You know, I can't remember the last time Cloud's had a date. Have you two hit the sack yet?"

Cloud slapped a hand to his forehead, clearly embarrassed, while Tifa gave a little laugh and shook her head, lying, "Nope."

The blond grabbed one of Lucrecia's many bags and turned towards the door, "C'mon… You'd better hurry if want a ride, Luc."

"Hey!" she grabbed some of her other bags, "Be a gentleman and carry some of your sister's stuff!"

He called over his shoulder, "Why don't you be a lady and make me want to help you?"

Tifa gave a small laugh, "You know, you two don't look alike at all."

Lucrecia seemed to brighten up a little, "You know, siblings tend to have matching features more often when-"

"Oh, shit…" Cloud turned and ran back, grabbed Tifa's wrist and pulled her away with him. Lucrecia ran a little to catch up. Her brother turned to glare at her, "No more biology talk. Save that for the poor saps that pay to hear it."

Lucrecia leaned over to whisper in Tifa's ear, "You know he's not normal, right?"

Tifa laughed, "Yep. I think I've seen every side he has to show."

Cloud shook his head as they finally made it outside.

--------------------------------

That was a long one, but I wanted to wrap it up a little so we can have a time skip next time!

I know, Cloud's middle name is kinda weird… and the Family Feud mockery just kind of happened. I wasn't going to have anything in here that was directly tied to our world, but the game show thing just worked so well. And then I realized that I already put Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii in here… So, yeah…

All four of our main cast gets some love in this chapter! Yay!

Okay, same old, same old… Still open to ideas or suggestions… Still looking for DoC profiles… Still wondering what Zack and Lazard were talking about…

Please review! -OCV


	7. Chapter VII

Happy Birthday, America! I'd like to take a minute to honor the brave men and women who have or those who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Thank you so much for the hard work and dedication you give to keep us free!!! On this Fourth of July weekend, you are anything but forgotten!!! Thank you!

I meant to say it last time, but I forgot. From here on out, I'll be updating every weekend instead of Tuesdays! It works better with my schedule, and I apologize for any inconveniences.

I apologize, Valentine'sNinja… I know you abhor the name-mashing thing, but since so many people have told me that they've never seen Genesis and Aeris together, I had to go and come up with a combo for the two. Generis. Their new unofficial name. Or Generith. Whatever trips your trigger.

All of you wonderful (and, quite possibly, bored) people who took the time to review!

The Lone Wanderer: Yeah, I get it. Genny and Rissy have gone on long enough… Bear with me, though. They still have a little while to go. Or maybe not.

Epic Popcorn: Haha! Clingy little prick… That's Genesis for you… Cloud and Tifa are so much fun to write! *Squeals with delight* Glad you're enjoying them!

Valentine'sNinja: Really? I never would've guessed that, the way you seem to like the Zack/Tifa pairing, anyway. No worries! More Zack/Cissnei to come!

kitsune13: Well… *Blows annoying strand of hair out of face* I don't even know where to start. I'm glad Zack is filling our resident Brad Pitt role well. I think Cloud's and Tifa's relationship manages to be both fluffy _and_ hot at the same time. Aeris and Genesis are cute now? Just wait 'til you see this chappie…

DEORUDS The WEAPONS Seven!: Good to see you again, Master JENOVA Slayer! By the time you get here, I hope Cloud's sections aren't boring anymore. His (and Tifa's) are the most fun to write… And the only thing I can say about Zack is that he saw how much Tifa doted on her sister, so he took her somewhere kid-friendly. I guess. I didn't really think of that. Though it would make sense that he would bring her somewhere fancy.

And, lastly, I'd like to give a thank you to The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing. Your ideas helped a LOT! Thanks! Oh, and to everyone else, check out his fic, Twilight! It's a nice mix of high school and supernatural suspense! I, for one, love it!

_**Chapter VII**_

_**Four Weeks Later… May 2nd.**_

_**Saturday…**_

The following takes place between 9:20 a.m. and 12:00 a.m.

**(Zack, 9:23 a.m.)**

Zack pulled his clothes out of his closet and threw them in his suitcase. He continued packing his stuff until he heard a knock at his door. He turned to see Cissnei standing in the open doorway holding a tray with two breakfasts on it. He smiled and motioned her over as she walked in and sat down on the bed. He joined her, took one of the plates off the tray and held it in one hand, holding a fork in the other. She picked up the other plate as he cut his pancakes with the side of his fork. He stabbed the piece and held the fork towards her. She gave him a genuinely surprised look and opened her mouth so he could feed her. He laughed, "Hey, Cissnei… About today…"

She looked down, "Yes?"

He grinned, "You wanna come with me?"

She looked back up at him, "Zack, I…!"

"What do you say?"

"I can't… I have finals…"

"You could join me when they're done…"

Her lips cracked into a small grin, "Okay. I can do that. It's just another week…"

"Great! Costa del Sol'll be so much better with you there!"

**(Cloud, 9:42 a.m.)**

Cloud wandered around the apartment over his family's shop, straightening up a little. Lucrecia walked out of her bedroom with a coffee mug in hand and the morning paper in the other. She gave a little smile when she saw Cloud picking up and asked, "I take it the shop is mine today?"

He arranged the pillows on the couch and looked over his shoulder at her, "You mind?"

She shook her head, "I guess not." She pointed a finger at him, "You're lucky it's only open five hours today."

"You'll get over it."

The door to their home opened and Vincent walked in, dropping down on the couch, "Morning, kiddies."

Lucrecia gave him a stern look, "I'm the same age as you, Vincent."

He smirked, "And yet you seem so young."

She blushed and glanced at the clock, "Oh! I'd better go open downstairs!" She turned and scuttled down the stairs.

Cloud watched her go and shot his friend a glare, "Minerva's Sacred Lance, Vincent… You touch my sister and I'll kill you myself."

The raven-haired man countered with a shocked look, "I didn't have any such intentions."

Cloud looked at him derisively, "Yeah. And Weapon's in my backyard."

Vincent snorted, "You don't even _have_ a backyard."

"Never mind…" Cloud slapped a hand to his forehead, "Hey, Vincent…? Speaking of women…"

He looked over the back of the couch, "Huh?"

"Tifa's birthday is tomorrow and I still haven't gotten her anything… Any ideas?"

"Goddess… You must be desperate to get girl gift ideas from me…"

"Like I said, her birthday's tomorrow…" he slumped down at the kitchen table, "and the day after is our one-month anniversary…"

He got off the couch and made his way to the kitchen side of the main room, "One-month anniversary? Aren't you two a little old to be celebrating that?" He opened the fridge and pulled out two beers, offering one to Cloud before dropping into the seat opposite him.

The blond accepted before saying, "This is comin' out of your paycheck."

Vincent sighed, "It didn't help that I brought you one?"

"Nope. Anyway, you got any ideas?"

"Well," he sat back in his chair, slowly nursing his drink, "after years of observing women, I'd make a wager that Tifa's in it for the long haul, eh?"

Cloud dropped his forehead to the table with his fingers laced over the back of his head, "I don't know… I guess so…"

"Then give her something that's more for the emotional value, rather than the market value."

He paused, the thought of building a future with Tifa crossing his mind for the first time, "Like what?"

"You have anything that means something to you that'd mean a lot for her to get?"

"I'm not sure…" He jumped up with a smirk, "Actually, I think I know just the thing…"

**(Aeris, 10:11 a.m.)**

A knock sounded from the other side of the door and Aeris jumped up from her desk, calling out, "Come in! It's open!"

The door opened and Genesis walked in with a smile, "Morning, Rissy. You ready?"

"You bet!" she grabbed her cell phone and wallet and stuffed them in her pocket, "Let's go!" Genesis held the door for her as they moved into the hall of her dormitory and made their way to the elevators. They walked down the steps to the building and towards Genesis's waiting car. As she sat down, Aeris asked, "Hey, Genny, what're you doing tonight?"

He looked over at her, "I was going to spend some time with my other friends… if you don't mind."

"Oh, okay. Of course I don't mind."

He shifted gears and drove away from the campus, "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. You know… I don't think I've met your friends yet…"

"Aeris…"

"Well, you have met Cissnei and Elena…"

"I guess… Let me give them a call and see if they mind, okay?"

"Okay!"

**(Tifa, 10:39 a.m.)**

Tifa climbed out of her car and walked up to the glass door with the frosted pattern on the front. She pushed it open and walked into the small store. She smiled and nodded to the brunette behind the counter, "Morning, Luc. Is Cloud here?"

She returned the gestures, "Upstairs. Vincent dropped by earlier… I'm not sure if he left yet or not."

"Thanks!" She made her way to the hallway to the upstairs and went up. She walked in to find Vincent belly-down on the couch, snoring away peacefully. She tickled his shoeless foot as she walked past, receiving no response as she expected. She looked around the three-bedroom apartment, found no trace of Cloud and went back downstairs with a shrug. She started to push the door to the shop open again when she felt two arms sneak around her waist. She gasped in surprise before turning her head to greet spiky hair. She laughed, "And where were you, McSpiky?"

He smiled and loosened his grip on her, "The greenhouse. You ready?"

"For what? We just planned to meet. We didn't bother figuring anything more than that."

"That's why I took the liberty of planning our day for us."

"Now I'm scared."

"Hey! At least I don't drag you around Midgar, trying to find the best pizza place in town…"

"Ugh… Don't even say the 'P' word… I'm still getting nauseous over that…"

He smirked, "And it's all your fault."

**(Zack, 10:53 a.m.)**

Zack drove up to the train station in Sector One. Cissnei rode with him, reasoning that since she'd have to take the bus home anyway, she could take it just as well from the station. They climbed out of the car without saying a word as Angeal walked over to greet them, "Morning, Zack. Cissnei. The crew is all set to get your Gabbiani on board. They just need the key," he held out his hand expectantly.

Zack hesitantly dropped the keys to his precious Gabbiani in his agent's palm, "Make sure they take care o f it, ya hear?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Angeal climbed in and slowly pulled it around to get it inside the train.

Zack turned to face his girlfriend, scratching the back of his head, "Well, I guess this is good-bye, huh?"

She looked to her feet, "Mm…"

"See you in a week?"

She looked up, a faint smile on her lips, "Okay."

"I'll have someone handle your ticket. I'll call you, okay?"

She nodded once, "Right."

"So, uh, yeah…" he leaned over and kissed her once, twice, eventually turning it into a make-out fest. He broke it off when he heard a throat clearing from behind him. He turned to see Angeal standing there holding Zack's keys in front of him. "Hey!" the actor shouted, snatching his keys back, "Have a little more respect!"

Angeal sighed, "For the car, or Cissnei?"

He caught sight of her watching him and responded, "Cissnei, of course! Though it sure wouldn't kill you to take better care of my Gabbiani, either…"

"Zack, your Gabbiani's a chunk of metal and fiberglass. Cissnei is a real, living, breathing person. You really need to sort out your priorities."

"Hey!" he wrapped an arm around Cissnei's shoulders, "I said Cissnei's more important!"

"You said her _first_, but that doesn't necessarily mean you think she's more important." He turned to address the redhead, "You could do so much better, you know that, right?"

Glad to be included in the conversation, she gave a little nod, "Mm-hm. But, I… I'm happy where I am now."

He raised an eyebrow, "And you're not using his fame to get some of your own?"

"Of course not!"

**(Aeris, 11:03 a.m.)**

Aeris sat in the passenger side of Genesis's car, holding her floppy straw hat onto her head. She watched the buildings of Midgar blur past as they headed to the outside of the city. She turned to face the driver and asked, "Genny?"

"Hm?"

"What are your friends like?"

"…Honestly, I don't think you'll get along with them."

"Why not?"

"They're kind of a rough bunch. They don't understand what it means to be in the company of a lady."

"If you're calling me a lady, thanks for the compliment, but I'm really not. I do work in a night club, you know."

"It doesn't make you any less of a lady."

"Aw, thanks, Genny."

He turned to smile at her, "It's the truth."

She laughed a little, embarrassed by his praise, "So, uh, anyway, thanks for offering to help me study for finals…"

"It's no trouble. I remember my finals of hell."

She laughed, "Truer words have never been spoken!" She paused, "You went to college?"

"Sure. I thought I told you? I majored in literature."

"That seems pretty accurate, Mr. Loveless. Wait. That didn't come out right."

He chuckled, "I know what you meant."

**(Tifa, 11:21 a.m.)**

Tifa sat on Fenrir, Cloud sitting right behind her with his hands around her waist. She leaned back against him, feeling the slight shift as he twisted to take a turn. She smiled as the bike came to a stop. She felt him move and get off behind her and then help her off, and then his hands come up behind her to remove her blindfold. She blinked against the sunlight and looked around, finally stopping on his face, "Where are we?"

He replied with a smile, "Headquarters."

"Headquarters?"

"Yeah. This little dump is my second home. Vincent, me, an' the others all meet up here. Who knows? Yuffie might even be here."

"Huh… Why'd you blindfold me?"

He gave a grin and shrugged, embarrassed, "Not even my sister knows about this place. Sorry, but this is one of my most well-guarded secrets."

"And you're sharing it with me?"

He scratched the back of his head, "Yeah…"

She started laughing, "You are so cute when you're flustered!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He returned it by slipping his tongue between her parted lips. She sucked on it for a second before feeling a hand on her shoulder. She pulled away from Cloud and turned to see a woman with reddish-brown hair and a man with black hair standing there, the former resting a hand on either of Tifa's and Cloud's shoulders.

She spoke, "Well, Cloud, it's about time we get to meet Garnet-Eyes." She turned to Tifa, "No offense."

"None taken. Um, who are you?"

Cloud gestured to each of them as he named them, "This is Jessie, and that's Biggs." He stood behind Tifa and wrapped his arms around her waist possessively, "And this is Tifa."

Biggs shifted uncomfortably, "Cloud…? You sure you should've brought her here?"

Cloud smirked and held up the bandana-turned-blindfold as Tifa said, "A clever excuse to be both romantic and inconspicuous."

The blond nodded into her hair, "True that."

"Anyway," Jessie continued, "Looks like you guys had the same idea we did."

Biggs shrugged, "We could go grab lunch as a group; make it a double."

Cloud looked down at the brunette, "You mind?"

She smiled, "Not at all! The more the merrier!"

Jessie gave a thumbs-up, "Great! Where should we go?"

"I don't even know where we are…" the brunette muttered, shooting her boyfriend a glare over her shoulder.

Biggs shrugged, "What about Cole's?"

Cloud smirked, "There's nothing but pizza there…"

Tifa's eyes widened, "No… Not pizza…"

Jessie raised an eyebrow, "What are you, lactose intolerant?"

"Uh, no. We, Cloud and I, went out all over Midgar last weekend and tried almost every pizza place we could find. Let's just say it's still pretty nauseating."

Cloud pointed at her, "It was her idea."

"Boy," the other woman snorted, "You two need to find another way to pass the time…"

"Screw you," the blond shot back, "What about Figaro's?"

"What do they have?" his girlfriend asked.

"Mideel-style food. Nothing fancy, but the twins who run it are good at keeping it away from fast-food status."

"So it's a sit-and-be-served kind of place?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Sounds good," she checked her watch, "It's pretty much lunch time now; you guys wanna head out?"

"Hey," Cloud whispered in her ear, "Do you mind if I blindfold you again? I mean… I didn't get Vincent's permission to bring you here… So… I'd probably get in trouble if I let you find out where this place is…"

"I… guess… Whatever."

"Thanks. Trust me. You don't want to see Vincent when he's pissed."

"I think I'll take your word on that."

"Hey!" Jessie shouted from next to Biggs's bike, "You guys about ready!?"

"Hold your friggin' chocobos!" Cloud shouted back before leading the now-blinded Tifa over Fenrir and helping her on. She felt him climb on behind her and felt the vibrations as the roar of the engine started. He rested his chin on her head and settled his hands around her waist. He called out to the other couple, "Race ya!" then shot off at unsafe speeds, causing Tifa to grab hold of his arms for safety.

**(Cloud, 12:32 p.m.)**

Cloud sat in a booth in Figaro's, Tifa beside him and Biggs and Jessie opposite him. He reached out and grabbed a fishstick off of their oversized appetizer sampler and took a bite. Jessie struck up the conversation, "So, Tifa…"

The brunette looked up from her milkshake, "Hm?"

"What're you and Chocobo-Rear over here," she thrust a thumb towards Cloud, "up to?"

Cloud clapped a hand over Tifa's mouth before she could reply and said, "Whoa-oh-oh-oh… Don't even answer that, Teef. You'll get a lecture either way."

She pulled his hand off her face, "I was just going to say- Mmph!" A slightly calloused hand clapped back over her mouth.

Cloud held his palm over her lips until he felt her bite down. Hard. "Ah! What the- Tifa!" he glared at her, rubbing his hand.

She smirked, "Don't try to hold me down."

"Ooh…" Jessie added her piece, "She bites."

Biggs held up a hand in careful contemplation, "If they were doing that, don't you think he'd be a little less surprised by that?"

"Hmm… That is true…"

Cloud glared at them, "Go to hell." Tifa was completely silent while Cloud's friends made their observations, so he wrapped a hand around her shoulders and moved to stand, "C'mon, Tifa, let's get out of here."

"Alright… What about the check?"

"They'll get it. I paid last time anyway."

"Hey!" Jessie called as they walked away, "The Lucky Girl?"

"Maybe," Cloud called back over his shoulder.

Tifa turned to look up at him, baffled by his friend's comment, "What's she mean by 'lucky girl'?"

The blond turned to face her, taken aback by her question. Finally getting how she took it, he replied, "Oh…" he ran his free hand through his hair, "You thought she meant you were my… No wonder you got confused… The Lucky Girl is a bar."

"Oh…" she stuttered a relieved laugh, "That makes a little more sense…"

He pushed the door to the restaurant open and held it for her, "Yeah… It's kind of like our regular place. You go in there any night of the week and you're bound to find at least one of us."

She walked out and headed towards the motorcycle, "Huh… Can I come?"

"Why would you want to?" he asked incredulously as the stopped beside the bike.

"I don't know… I just want to" she blushed and averted her gaze, leaning back against Fenrir, "spend more time with you…"

He smiled and hooked his thumbs through the beltloops on her jeans, tipping his chin dangerously close, "You know… If that's the case, I don't have to go tonight."

She looked back up at him, "Really?"

"Yeah," he climbed onto Fenrir, "Let's go back to my place."

"Is Lucrecia there?"

"Probably. Why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure Reno's out. We'd be alone if we went to my place."

He started the engine, "Beats my idea. Let's go." She climbed on in front of him while he steered out of the parking lot and towards Sector Seven. He leaned his head down to ask in her ear, "Do you wanna stop by my place and get your car?"

"Nah. Goddess knows it wouldn't be the first time it's stayed there."

He smiled next to her ear and turned a corner, "Hey… You wanna try driving?"

"Wha-? I-I don't think so… I've never driven a motorcycle before… Let alone one that doesn't need the handlebars…"

"They're not just there for decoration. You can still steer with them. I'm right here. I'll take over if you have trouble."

"I-if you're sure…"

"I am. You know how to get to your place from here, right?"

"Yeah…" she leaned forward, almost lying down to reach the handles.

"Ready?"

"No!"

**(Zack, 12:56 p.m.)**

Zack sat in a private train car with Angeal. He watched as his agent got up and left to go find some food, and then pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number from memory, "Hey, it's me, Zack."

The man on the other end replied, "What can I do for you, Mr. Fair?"

"Have you seen it yet?"

"That I have. I would be very interested in meeting this woman. She may be exactly what we're looking for."

Zack grinned, "See? I knew I'd be able to help. Oh, yeah… Her phone number is…" he checked his contacts list and found her number, then gave it to the man on the other end.

"Thank you. I'll have to contact her."

"Yeah… Oh… and don't tell her you know me, 'kay?"

"Very well. I'm sure you have your reasons."

"Great! Talk to you again sometime. 'Bye!"

"Good-bye, Mr. Fair."

Zack hung up the phone as Angeal walked in holding a tray with his lunch on it, "Who was that?"

"My mom. Why?"

"I'm your agent. It's my job to stick my nose into every little detail of your life. Speaking of which, I really am impressed with how loyal you've been to Cissnei. Especially after the way you were chasing Tifa Lockhart."

"Eh, Tifa made her choice. And Cissnei's been really great."

"I see… Still, it does amaze me that you can be satisfied by one woman for so long."

"Hey!"

He chuckled, "You are so much fun to pick on…"

He rolled his eyes, "Great…" His expression brightened, "So! What's for lunch!?"

"_I'm_ having a turkey sandwich with a side of coleslaw. I don't know what you're having."

"Aww… Angeal! I'm hungry, too…"

He rolled his eyes, "I'm kidding, Zack." He took one of the covered dishes off his tray and handed it to him.

Zack's eyes lit up, "Thanks, Angeal! You're the best!"

"I know."

**(Tifa, 1:41 p.m.)**

Tifa pushed the door to her home open, "Reno! Reno!" She turned to face the blond behind her and grinned, "Looks like he's out. The house is all ours."

Cloud smiled back, wrapping his hands around her waist and leaning down to whisper in her ear, "What do you want to do?"

She laughed at the tickle his breath left in her ear, "What do _you_ want to do?"

"Well… We could throw on a movie…" he kissed her just below her ear, "or play some Brawl…" he moved to her neck, "or…" he slid his lips along her collarbone to her bare right shoulder.

"Screw this…" Tifa threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. His hands moved from their place on her back to her hips and down to the backs of her thighs. He lifted her off the floor and she went with it, wrapping her long legs around his waist. He moved his hands up to her back again to help support her weight as she leaned into him. He slid one hand under the hem of her t-shirt and pressed his palm against her back, right between her shoulder blades. He found his way to the couch by memory, never opening his eyes, and dropped down onto it.

**(Aeris, 2:09 p.m.)**

Aeris lay back on the blanket, staring up at the clouds. Genesis sat nearby, holding a textbook on his lap, "Okay. If Mako is concentrated Lifestream, then what is Materia?"

"Um… Oh! I know this! It's crystallized Mako!"

"Correct. How does Mako become crystallized?"

"Oh… It can happen naturally, but it's very rare and takes a freakishly long time to occur; or, it can be done artificially." She tapped her forehead, trying to remember what else her text had said, "When created that way, it takes much less time, making it possible for it to be available to the general public through mass production."

"Correct. Now then, what is the difference between natural and artificial Materia?"

"I know this one!" she rolled onto her stomach, "There isn't one! Or, well, if there is, it's too small to bother with."

He smiled at her over the top of the book, "Right again. You've answered almost every question correctly. I don't think you have much to worry about."

"Thanks… My History and Uses of Mako test is on Monday… Philosophy's not 'til Wednesday… I think I'm gonna be screwed when it comes to Monster Breeds that afternoon…"

He chuckled, "You'll be fine."

"How can you be so sure?" she moaned as she flopped back onto her back.

"I'm your boyfriend. I have to be supportive."

"Oh… So, it's an obligation?"

He set down the text and moved to sit beside her, "Aeris, you know I'm just kidding, right? I know you'll be fine with your exams this week. But if I am wrong, and if you should fail miserably, I'll still love you. Nothing will ever change that fact."

She bumped her head against his shoulder, "Thanks, Genny. I love you, too." He smiled, rolling up next to her and giving her a soft kiss.

**(Cloud, 2:27 p.m.)**

Cloud sat on the couch, feet supported by the opposite armrest, staring into ruby colored eyes. Their breathing was heavy as they struggled to catch their breaths. Finally, he spoke, "Tifa… I…" He pulled her closer, burying his face in her jasmine-scented hair.

Her voice carried her worry, "Cloud? What's wrong?"

"Nothing… It's just… Never mind, it's nothing." He moved away from her neck and kissed her on the forehead before pulling back and giving her a small smile.

She sighed, running a hand along the edge of his face, "It's not 'nothing,' Cloud. Tell me. What's on your mind?"

"I…" he took a deep breath, "Tifa… Do you… want to get dinner tonight?"

"That's not what you were really gonna say, was it?"

"No…"

"Well, whatever it was, it's gotta be something important, or you wouldn't be struggling like this. Just promise me you'll tell me when you're ready?"

"I promise."

"Sure."

His brow furrowed out of confusion, "Huh?"

She smiled, "Sure, I'll join you for dinner tonight."

He chuckled, "Glad to hear it." He brought his head a little closer and kissed her gently. He pulled back and she moved closer, resting her head on his chest. He felt her shift as she stretched her legs out beside his; her body flat against his. He closed his eyes and pressed his palms to her back, holding her close. "Tifa…" he whispered in her ear.

"What is it, Cloud…?"

"Tifa…" he smiled, "When I'm with you, I feel… I'm not sure, but I know I've never felt this way before…"

"Is it… a good feeling?"

"Definitely."

**(Zack, 3:46 p.m.)**

Zack sat on the train, his MP3 player blaring heavy metal while playing a game on his cell phone. He was glad the filming for 'Shattered' was all done and glad to be going back to his resort in Costa del Sol. He could only think of three downsides to his current position: he had to be away from Cissnei, the trip back to Costa del Sol took almost all day, and the fact that he'd have to make the trip all over again when the movie was done just to attend the premiere. _'Oh, well… It'll just be a day or two…'_ he thought just before the intercom sounded through the train.

"May I have your attention, please. We are approaching the Junon Station and will arrive within the next half hour. Please make sure you have all your belongings before departing. Thank you."

"Great!" Zack jumped out of his seat, "We're almost there! I can't stand sitting still!"

Angeal looked up at him over the top of his laptop, "I know. But keep in mind… You still have to sit the whole ride to Costa del Sol."

"Aww… Angeal…! Can't I wander around…!? I promise I'll stay incognito…"

"No."

"Please? Pleeeease…?"

"No."

"Angeal!" he crossed his arms like an angry child, "I take back my comment about you being the best."

"Well, then, on our next trip, I'll let you handle all the tickets and the luggage check-in."

"Whaaat!? Angeal! Why in the world would you let me to do that?"

"Well, since I'm not the best, I certainly can't handle everything…"

"Angeal!"

**(Cloud, 5:12 p.m.)**

Tifa held onto Cloud's arms as he steered Fenrir up to Branford's, the restaurant where they'd had their first date. She spoke from under his chin, "You know, I'm getting really sick of being blindfolded…"

He chuckled and removed her blindfold, her eyes widened a little when she saw where they were. "Cloud…! This is…!" she turned on the bike to face him.

He grinned and squeezed her waist a little, "Happy early birthday and one-month anniversary."

"Cloud… You didn't have to…" she twisted to press a light kiss to his lips before realizing, "It's only been a month? It seems like so much longer…"

"Yeah… Best month of my life. So far, anyway," he breathed, dusting his lips over hers tenderly.

"What do you mean by 'so far'?"

He chuckled, "Just that I'm hoping we'll have better times together."

She rested her index finger on his lips, "Don't hope. Know."

"Alright. Because I _know_ we'll have better times together."

It was her turn to laugh, "Let's go eat."

**(Tifa, 6:23 p.m.)**

Tifa smiled at the waiter, "A slice of your Chocolate Decadence with two forks, please." She handed him the dessert menu before he walked away. She turned back to Cloud, "So… Now what?"

"Actually, I have something I want to give you."

"Oh?" she brought her hand up to rest her chin on her palm, elbow propped up on the table.

"Yeah," he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small, dark green, velvet box. He set it on the table and slid it closer to her, "Happy birthday."

She stared at it in shock, _'Holy… He said he liked me… But this…? We haven't even said 'I love you' yet… Wait. Did I just say I love him…? I… guess I did… Ah!'_ she mentally slapped herself, _'Focus, Tifa!'_

"Tifa? Are you just gonna sit there and stare at it, or are you gonna open it?"

"Huh?" she tore her gaze away from the box and looked up at him, "Cloud, I…"

He wore a soft smile as he said, "C'mon, Tifa. Open it."

Her heart was hammering in her chest as she nervously picked up the box. She took a deep breath and cracked it open. She felt her heart drop and swell at the same time when faced with a pair of pearl, teardrop-shaped earrings. She let her smile of relief spread wide as she gently pulled one out to examine it. "Cloud… You didn't have to spend this much on me…" she said, her brain still not functioning at full capacity.

He grinned, "Don't worry. They didn't cost me a gil."

Her heart slowed back to a normal rate, "Why would you admit that? With a smile, no less."

"Because," he gave a short chuckle, "You should know that they belonged to my mother. They really are priceless in my eyes. Just like you."

"Cloud…" she said his name with a whiney note, embarrassed, "I can't accept this… They're too precious…"

"You can and you will. I want you to have them and my mother would want you to, too. So, c'mon, Teef, please?"

"Well… when you put it that way…" her voice sounded a little hesitant as her mind screamed, _'I love you! I love you! I love you!'_ She reached up and took out the silver hoop earrings she had on and slid the teardrops into the piercings in her earlobes. She smiled and tucked her hair back behind her ears so he could see, "How do they look?"

He reached across the table to stroke her chin, "Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."

She blushed, something she noticed she didn't do often in Cloud's company, and replied, "I'll have to meet your mom sometime so I can thank her."

"Yeah… I'll introduce you someday."

**(Aeris, 6:52 p.m.)**

Aeris finished packing the empty dishes from their dinner inside the cooler and closed it. She turned around and sat down next to Genesis, who had just come back after putting her bag back in the car. She tucked her knees in by her chest and scooted closer to him, pressing her hip against his while watching the sun set in a blaze of pastel colors. His hand found her shoulder and hesitated. He pulled her closer, then let go, pulled her closer again and repeated this for a while. She turned to look at him, confusion swirling in her green gaze, "Genny? Are you alright?"

"Aeris, I… There's something I want to ask you."

Her brows knit together, "Huh? What is it, Genny?"

"Aeris…" he shifted his position so his whole body was facing her. He kept one hand down beside his leg, hiding it from her view. "Aeris… I know we've only been together for just about a month now, but in that short time I realized: I love you and I couldn't imagine seeing you in the arms of another man. So… What I'm trying to say is…" he lifted his hidden hand to reveal a small box with a diamond ring inside, "Aeris Faremis, will you marry me?"

She stared at him blankly, her gaze shifting to the ring and back up to his face. Her lips parted slightly, trying and failing to find words. She finally managed, "Genny, I… I…"

"Aeris?"

Her mouth cracked into a grin, "Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. He held her close, ecstatic that she'd agreed so quickly. He pushed her back gently and pulled the ring out of the box before sliding it onto her left ring finger. She examined it for a moment, a grin larger than the Northern Crater adorning her face. She looked back up at him, tears of joy welling in her eyes, "I-I'm so happy! I never thought… Ohh… Genny!" she wrapped her arms around his neck once more, this time adding a kiss to his lips.

When she finally released his mouth, he whispered against hers, "Aeris… I love you…"

**(Tifa, 7:32 p.m.)**

Cloud and Tifa lay on the couch of her home, making the most of the night. They stopped to take a breath when a knock sounded at the door. Tifa looked up at him from her pinned down position, "Um… I should see who that is…"

He grinned at her, "What's stopping you?"

She laughed, "You are, Chocobo-Rear." He gave a chuckle and braced a hand on either side of her and balanced on his toes. He stretched upwards as if doing a push-up, giving her room to slip out from underneath him. She climbed out and fixed her messy hair in the mirror quickly before moving to open the door. She grinned when she saw Marlene standing in front of Barret on the porch. She nodded her head towards the inside, "C'mon in, guys."

Marlene ran inside, saw Cloud sitting on the couch and ran over to him, "Cloud! Cloud's here!" She ran over and threw her arms around the man's neck. And, like the big kid he was, he angled his body so when she hit into him, they both fell over in a mess of laughter.

Tifa looked at Barret, "Sometimes I wonder which of us sisters he's really seducing."

He laughed, "You an' Marlene are like glue. Seduce one an' ya seduce tha otha."

She snorted a chuckle, "I guess. I'm just glad Marlene approves of Cloud."

"…You like 'im dat much, eh?"

"I do. He might just be 'the one'…" she mused before flashing a grin in the direction of her sister and boyfriend and calling out, "Pile up!" and jumping on top of them.

Barret only laughed, "Actually, Tifa, I came by ta say dat I got third shift again an' Marlene's gonna hafta spen' da night here."

She turned to face him from her position near the back of the couch, "Okay!" She caught Cloud's eye and shrugged apologetically. He raised an eyebrow, questioning why she felt the need for apologies. She gave him a combination look mixing her shy approval and obvious intentions.

A light shone in his eyes and he mouthed, _'You sure?'_

She shrugged, nodded towards Marlene and mouthed back, _'Not anymore.'_

He chuckled and sat up, keeping one girl under each arm, as he said, "So, what do my two favorite girls and drummer want to do?"

Marlene laughed, "I wanna hear Tifa sing!"

Her sister looked at her, suddenly very tired, "You know it doesn't sound very good when there's no music. And Reno and Yuffie aren't here, Barret's heading out, and we clarified early on that Cloud's musical aptitude stinks."

Barret waved and made his escape while he called, "See ya t'morra, Marlene."

She stuck out her lip and put a whiney element in her voice, "Don't you have it on the computer?"

"Marlene… I don't really feel like singing tonight… Why don't we play Brawl?" she curled into Cloud's side and let out a yawn.

"Hey, you okay?" Cloud wrapped his hand over her shoulders and brought it around to touch her forehead, "No fever."

"I'm fine, Cloud… Just tired."

"Then why don't you go to bed and give Marlene and me some bonding time?" He raised his eyebrows at the girl, who burst out into a giggle-fit.

Tifa shook her head, "I'll be fine."

"You heard it, Marlene. She said she'll _be_ fine. Which means it's time for bed for the older of my girls." He stood up and picked Tifa up into his arms and carried her out to the garage, where he motioned for Marlene to pull down the covers.

She did as was asked of her and Tifa felt herself make contact with the sheets, mumbling, "I'm not sick…"

Cloud smirked and kissed her forehead, "I never said you were." She felt him caress cheek before pausing to touch her earrings and leaving.

**(Zack, 8:17 p.m.)**

Zack sat in his private, first class cabin on the passenger yacht that ran between Junon and Costa del Sol. He stood up and looked around; found his sunglasses and a ponytail. He slid the shades on and pulled his hair back with the elastic band. He grabbed the keycard to his room and stuffed it in his pocket, slipping out of his room. He looked at the bright blue sky outside the window and stared at it for a minute, thinking, _'Wait a minute… Wasn't it sunset in Junon? What time is it?'_ He pulled out his cell phone and checked the clock, _'It's after eight… What the…? Ohh… Right. The time change. It's probably more like six-something here.'_ He shrugged and crept past Angeal's door on his way to the deck, stopping beside the railing to look out at the ocean. He breathed in the fresh sea scent and exhaled, relishing the feeling of freedom.

A feminine voice spoke from behind him, "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be… Zackary Fair, would you?"

He turned to see a woman dressed in a maroon bikini with a matching shawl wrapped around her waist standing there. Her hair was a reddish-brown color and he caught himself before flirting when he realized something: this woman's left arm was mechanical. He mentally slapped himself for losing his cool in front of a beautiful, not to mention shapely, woman before replying, "And who might you be? If you're calling me 'Zackary,' you must be here for business."

She took off her glasses and started cleaning them on her shawl with only her right hand, the mechanical one remaining still, "My apologies, Mr. Fair. I am Shalua Rui of Urban Originals Ltd. My employer wanted me to come and speak with you a little; you know, get some information on the woman in the video."

He shook his head, "Sorry, Ms. Rui. I'm not sayin' a word. You want to know about her, ask her."

"I see. That's too bad. Oh, well. Nice meeting you, Mr. Fair." She turned and waved over her shoulder as she walked away.

Zack watched her leave before turning back to the ocean, _'That was cryptic.'_

**(Aeris, 10:03 p.m.)**

Aeris reluctantly climbed out of the car, "Goodnight, Genny… I love you…"

"Goodnight, Rissy. See you tomorrow."

"Genny?"

"Hm?"

"Do you mind if I tell people?"

"Of course not."

"Thanks. Genny?" she examined the almost perfectly-fitting ring on her finger for the thousandth time.

"Yes?"

"Did you… did you ask my parents?"

He chuckled, "Actually, yes. I did."

"Really? When'd you do that?"

"When I snitched your cell phone and stole their number from it while you weren't looking."

"Genny!"

"What?"

She giggled, "Thanks. It… means a lot that you'd ask my parents."

"Of course," he paused, a new thought occurring to him, "Say, Rissy, you have to move out of the dorms by Friday, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Do you want to move in with me?"

Her eyes widened for a second at his blunt question, and then a grin conquered her face, "You don't mind?"

"Well, I assume it'll happen eventually, anyway."

She chuckled, "You don't want to salvage the last remnants of bachelorhood?"

"No… I think I'll manage. Besides, I still have a couple days this week."

"Genny?"

"Mm?"

"I can't wait."

He smiled, "You know… You'll meet my friends eventually. Your finals _are_ more important, after all. Besides, you have met Angeal."

"Yeah, I know. It doesn't change the fact that I wish my finals didn't exist."

He chuckled, "Goodnight."

"Yeah, g'night…" she turned and forced herself up the stairs and into the building.

**(Cloud, 11:43 p.m.)**

Cloud trudged up the stairs to his apartment, sore from chasing the seven-year-old around Tifa's house all night. By the time he'd gotten her to sleep, resorting to methods he'd never repeat to anyone, it was already almost eleven. He walked through the kitchen and asked the air, "Luc?" He waited for a reply, but received none, _'Guess she's already asleep…'_ He walked into his room and sat on the bed, pulling his shirt off over his head. He rubbed his Fenrir tattoo, thinking, _'Tifa… It's only been a month… Are you sure you're ready…?'_ He looked up when he heard a thump from Lucrecia's room. He smiled to himself, _'Guess she fell out of bed again.'_ He groaned and dropped backwards, flipping up onto his back to take his pants off and pull the covers over his body, wondering, _'Since when could a kid wear me out…?'_

-------------------------------------

Before anyone says anything, yes, Zack and Aeris WILL (eventually) have a moment. Please be patient! Genesis has to finish up with her first. Any thoughts on how that might happen?

I'm not quite sure I believe it, but no one has made a guess as to who Tifa's ex, Yuffie's mystery man, or Cloud's and friend's _him_ are. Nor has anyone sent me a DoC profiles list! …So I made up my own personalities based on the little info I have.

Either no one noticed, or it's just that no one commented, but I think it's high time I give some credit. The name of Zack's car, Gabbiani, the name of the restaurant Cloud and Tifa went to, Branford's, and the names of the two restaurants mentioned in this chapter, Cole's and Figaro's, are all last names of characters of FF6. Setzer Gabbiani, Terra Branford, Locke Cole and Edgar/Sabin Figaro. I don't own Final Fantasy 6 in any way… I just wanted to see if anyone would notice. I may have other cameos, if you will, show up. My brother said I should have a cereal called 'Branford Flakes' show up, but I'd already used Terra's name when he proposed the idea.

As always, please review! I'd love to hear what you think is gonna happen! -OCV


	8. Chapter VIII

Oya... I'm sorry it's late! Mom got a bug and decided to clean the basement this week... Sorry! It's here now!

Just a warning, folks, I wrote half of this after I got back from the dentist… Half of my mouth is numb and I'm chock-full of Novocain… Sorry if some of this doesn't make sense…

**Valentine'sNinja**: Yeah… Genesis's proposal just twisted my heart, too… Zack and Cissnei… Yeah… Read on. I'll give you a heads up, though. You are gonna be so mad at me after this chapter…

**The Lone Wanderer**: I will ALWAYS love long reviews! So, your favorites are Angeal and Aeris, huh…? Maybe I should strike up something between those two… Just kidding. But expect more never-before-seen couples in the upcoming chapters!

Popcorn…? Kitsune….? Where are you? I miss you!

And while Zack is in Costa del Sol, you'll see two times before his sections. The first one is Midgar time, the second is CdS time. I thought I'd show both times just to keep it clear…

Thanks again to The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing!

_**Chapter VIII**_

_**Sunday…**_

The following takes place between 8:45 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.

**(Aeris, 8:47 a.m.)**

Aeris sat at her desk in her dorm room, trying to study for finals. She slid her fingers through her bangs, thinking, _'Darn it! What was the third symptom of Mako Poisoning…!? Ooh… Dang it! Let's see…' _Her gaze slid over to her left hand and the diamond ring thereon, _'I'm gonna get married! I'm twenty-four and getting married! I can't wait to call Mom and Dad! Argh! These stupid finals! Senior year is evil!'_

**(Tifa, 9:24 a.m.)**

"Tifa! Tifa!"

Tifa pushed herself off the pillow, "What is it, Marlene?"

The little girl bounced excitedly in front of her, holding the cordless phone in one hand, "Tifa! My friend from summer camp wants to visit!"

Still groggy, she replied, "Okay… Fine by me…"

"Okey-dokey!" Marlene jumped off the bed and ran out of the garage, talking a mile a minute into the phone.

Tifa dropped back into the pillow, _'Kids…'_

**(Zack, 9:48 a.m./6:48 a.m.)**

"Agh! Angeal!" Zack didn't even need to ask who'd barged into his room and turned the lights on while he slept.

"Morning, Kiddo!" the older man walked in and sat in one of the plush black armchairs adorned throughout Zack's luxury suite.

"Damn it, Angeal! What time is it!?"

He checked his watch casually, "Just about seven…"

He sat straight up, "You're kidding me…"

"…Costa del Sol time."

"Ohh…" He fell back down into the fluffy bed, "That's, what? Three hours difference?"

"Yep."

"So, what you're really saying is… it's ten in the morning?"

"Technically, yes. So get your ass out of bed. The rest of Costa del Sol is waiting."

"Damn it…"

**(Cloud, 10:14 a.m.)**

Cloud rolled out of bed and stretched his back out. He stood up and grabbed a clean pair of pants, noting that he'd have to do laundry soon, and grabbed a shirt on his way out the door. He knocked on the door to his sister's room, not caring if he woke her up. He heard a thump and some hushed cursing before the door opened to reveal Lucrecia wrapped solely in a comforter. Cloud rolled his eyes, "Can you manage the shop today? It's Tifa's birthday and I wanted to spend it with her."

"I… guess."

"I'll call Vincent and see if he can help you. I know how inept you are when it comes to arrangements." He dug in his pocket, mildly surprised to find his phone in his pocket.

Luc reached out with one hand, holding the bedspread with the other, "Cloud! You don't have to… I can handle it!"

"Geez… What's the big deal?" he finished dialing Vincent's number, once again not caring if he woke the target of his endeavors. "Oh, Goddess…" he looked up at his sister, piecing together the puzzle, "You didn't…"

She gave him a small smile as the oh-so-familiar Dracula theme played from a monotone speaker from inside her room. "Cloud… Don't be mad-"

He held a hand to his temples, "Don't get mad? Who am I to get mad? You're the one shot every bit of respect to hell. Of course I'm frickin' mad!"

"You're friends with him!"

"I don't sleep with him, do I?"

"Cloud, that's-" she got cut off as Vincent came out of the room behind her, wearing only a pair of black skinny jeans that somehow worked on him.

He tried his hand at calming the blond, "Hey, kid-"

"No, Vincent, I don't frickin' care!" he turned and stormed off towards the stairs, knowing his friend would follow.

"Hey, kid! Kid, wait up! Cloud!" the blond's shoulders stiffened slightly. Vincent never called him by his name unless he was trying to suck up or apologize.

Cloud kept walking, pausing only to unlock the greenhouse and before continuing on in. He stopped a few feet in and turned around, arms crossed and glaring with a feral bloodlust in his eyes that had helped him to earn the name Fenrir. "Explain."

Vincent, who was almost right behind him, stopped when he did and ran a hand through his long, messy hair, "Look, Cloud… It's not entirely my fault… She came onto me first…"

"I don't care! I told you to stay away from her! Doesn't that mean anything to you!?"

"Look," he scratched the back of his head, "You don't know the whole story…"

"Then enlighten me."

He exhaled dramatically, "Fine… Before you and I even met… Lucrecia and I had a relationship."

Cloud raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? Why have I never heard about this?"

"Junior year of high school. We only dated for a couple of weeks, but we really did like each other. Our friends didn't like us being together. Her friends thought I was a walking sign for trouble, and Biggs and Wedge thought she was too 'brainy' for our group. Eventually, we decided to end it… After I met you and started hanging out, she and I decided not to say anything… Try to start over, you know? Jessie, Yuffie and Kadaj don't know, either."

"If you liked Lucrecia, why'd you started your floozy-bedding hobby?"

He sucked in a breath and ran his hand through his hair, "You're not gonna believe my answer for this one…"

His eyes narrowed further, "Try me."

"Have you ever been to my apartment?"

"Don't change the subject."

"I'm not. Trust me; just answer the question."

Cloud thought about it, "No… I guess I haven't."

"Know why?"

He was getting impatient now, "Why?"

"Because it doesn't exist."

"Say what?"

"I don't have an apartment. I don't live anywhere. After my dad died right before school ended, I stayed in the base. And Goddess knows those crappy mattresses weren't even worth sleeping on. Then I discovered sex, and that most women who'd let a stranger in their homes usually had pretty nice beds."

Cloud slapped a hand to his face and ran it down to his chin, "You're sick…"

He shrugged, "How was I supposed to afford my own place on a part-time flower shop employee paycheck?"

"You could've said something. We have an extra bedroom here."

"You didn't nine years ago. Besides, I barely knew you then, and I'd only dated Luc a little the year before. Sure, your mom was a great lady and, anytime after I started frequenting your place, she would've let me stay here if I'd asked… But let's face it. My ego's way too big to allow for that sort of thing."

"Damn it, Vincent… Why in the hell would you go and do something stupid like that? I used to admire you, you know." He thrust a finger towards the tattoo of the three-headed dog on the right side of Vincent's bare chest, "What happened to the mighty Cerberus who taught me how to survive?"

He looked down with a shrug, "I don't know, kid… I just don't know…"

Cloud unfolded his arms and placed his hands on his hips with an exaggerated sigh, "You still wanna be with my sister?"

"I honestly wasn't expecting something like that. You mean to say you don't mind?"

He let a laugh explode from his throat, "You're gonna work long and hard to prove you're loyal enough. That means no one-night stands… Extra hours in the shop… And… a little restraint when it comes to Luc. No more of this 'she started it' crap. Think you can do it?"

He gulped, "I'm sure as hell gonna try."

He walked past him, "You're serious, huh?"

Vincent grinned, back to his normal self, "Yep."

**(Shalua, 10:25 a.m./7:25 a.m.)**

Shalua walked out of her hotel room in Costa del Sol, pulling her wheeled suitcase with her stiff metal arm and holding her cell phone in the other. She held it to her ear, "Good morning, Sir."

The voice on the other end replied, "Good morning, Ms. Rui. Did Mr. Fair give us any more information on our leading lady?"

"No, he wouldn't say a word…"

"I see…"

"My assistant is in place. Shall I have him move in?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I'll call her myself."

"You, Sir?"

"Yes… I feel this woman could be the next big hit… The least I could do is give her some of my time."

"Yes, Sir…"

"Are you coming back, then?"

"Yes, Sir. I'm on my way to the port now."

"Actually, I have something else for you to do..."

"Sir?"

"I want you to…"

**(Tifa, 10:46 a.m.)**

"Yeah!" Reno pumped a fist in the air as he finished off Tifa with a Final Smash.

"Hey!" Marlene shouted, "I shoulda won that one! That does it! I'm Lucario next!"

"Oh, shhhh-ucks…" Reno caught himself in the young girl's presence before turning to Tifa, "Hey, you okay?"

She looked at him, Wii remote resting lightly in her hands, "Yeah… I just didn't sleep well…"

"If you're sure… Think you'll be alright to hang out with Blondie today?"

She grinned, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Cloud'll take care of me if something happens. Nothing will, though."

Reno muttered something under his breath that sounded like 'Confident as always…' and Tifa shook her head. She looked up as her pearly white cell phone started ringing.

She grabbed it off the table and flipped it open, "Hello?"

"Hello… Is this Miss Tifa Lockhart?" It was a smooth, deep, masculine voice.

"It is… May I ask who's calling?"

"My apologies, I am Reeve Tuesti, president of Urban Originals Ltd."

"What can I do for you, Mr. Tuesti?" she shot a confused look to Reno and went out to the garage to avoid the excited, overly-sugared seven and twenty-eight-year-olds.

"I came across a promo video for your band, Checkmate, and I would be very interested in discussing a possible future for our two parties."

"You mean… like a record deal?"

"Exactly like that."

"Let me talk it over with the rest of the band and I'll get back to you… Is that alright, Mr. Tuesti?"

"Absolutely. You can reach me through my office number. You'll have to go through my secretary… Just tell him you're from Checkmate and he'll send you right through."

"Thank you so much! Oh… But, we call ourselves Seventh Heaven now… Does that change anything?"

"Not at all. Personally, I like the new name better."

"Well, thanks again, Mr. Tuesti… I'll contact the others and get right back to you."

"I appreciate your time, Miss Lockhart."

"The pleasure is all mine."

"Very well, good-bye. I await good news."

"Good-bye," she heard the click of his phone hanging up and flipped her own shut before letting out a scream of joy. She ran back into the house, a grin plastered on her face, to find two shocked people sitting on the couch watching her. She smiled wider and held up the phone, "That was a record company! They want to meet with us to discuss a contract!"

Suddenly, Reno was on his feet, dancing a celebratory dance, "Yeah! We gotta call Barret an' Yuff!"

"But… Barret's probably asleep… He had third shift last night…"

Reno's smile faded only a margin, "We'll fill him in later. For now, call Yuffie and tell her the news b'fore yer boy-toy gets here."

"Reno!" she chastised him as she dialed the Wutaian girl's number.

**(Aeris, 11:37 a.m.)**

Aeris pranced back to her dorm, feeling freakishly excited about her upcoming future. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed her mother's number. The older version of herself picked up with a bright greeting, "Hello!"

"Hi, Mom, it's me. You really should use the caller I.D…"

"Why? I don't need it. I've gotten by this far without it."

Aeris shook her head, "Is Dad home?"

"Yup! Let me get him!"

"I want to talk to both of you guys, so have him pick up the other extension, okay?"

"Okay!"

Aeris heard the receiver set down on the table and a moment later, her father picked up, "Hello, Rissy."

"Hi, Dad!"

Ifalna picked up the line again, "Okay, Sweetie! What's up? Spill!"

Aeris shook her head. Sometimes her mother acted like a teenage gossip girl. "Well… You guys'll never guess what happened yesterday!"

Ifalna almost shouted, Aeris imagining her jumping up and down, "What? What? What?"

She sucked in a breath, "Genny proposed!" Mother and daughter broke into a screaming fit, squealing excitedly at the expense of the poor passerby's.

A moment later, Gast cut in, "Congratulations, Rissy."

She calmed herself down, "Thanks, Dad. Oh… You guys knew, didn't you? Genny told me he asked you guys…"

Ifalna laughed, "Yup! He's such a good boy. We're so happy for you two!"

"Thanks, Mom… I'm so excited!"

**(Zack, 12:20 p.m./9:20 a.m.)**

Zack walked through the fancy beach house with a drink in his hand. He turned to face the owner of it, his friend and fellow actor, Kunsel, who wore Costa del Sol attire and a grin. Zack slapped him on the arm, "Hey, man, great party! Kind of early, though…"

Kunsel shrugged, "Not my choice. You know how agents are. I guess they wanted the cast of 'Two Princes' in one place…" he nodded his head in the direction of his agent, a tall, slender, redheaded woman.

"Yeah… Wonder why?"

"Maybe they wanna start the next season early?"

"Maybe…"

"Excuse me? Mr. Fair?"

Zack turned around, "Great… not you again."

Kunsel raised an eyebrow at the slender woman in a low-cut cocktail dress standing beside the dark-haired actor. He slid down his sunglasses to get a better look, "S'cuse me, miss…"

She turned to face him, "I'm sorry. I have a matter of importance to discuss with Mr. Fair. Would you mind giving us some privacy?"

"Fine…" Kunsel raised his hands defensively before walking off.

Zack watched him go and then turned to his guest, "Sorry, Ms. Rui, I'm not sayin' a word."

"I'm not here for that, Mr. Fair. I have another reason for being here."

"An' what's that?" he asked, a particular thought burning his mind, _'Where have I heard her name before…!?'_

"My employer wanted to know if you'd be interested in-"

"Interested in what?"

Zack turned to see Angeal standing there with his arms crossed. Shalua turned to face him, "And you are?"

"I'm Angeal Hewley, Zack Fair's agent. You have something to say to him, you say it to me, too."

She pushed her glasses up her nose, "Last time I checked, an agent handled scheduling, not every little mystery in their client's life."

"Yeah, well… You're dealing with an abnormal agent."

"I see. Then perhaps you and I should discuss the matter at hand over a drink?"

"Alright. Shall we?" he extended his left arm towards her and she accepted, looping her right around it. They walked off towards the open bar leaving Zack utterly baffled.

**(Cloud, 12:32 p.m.)**

Cloud knocked on the front door of Tifa's house a half hour after the agreed time. The door flew open to reveal the brunette with a wide grin standing there. Cloud couldn't hold back his own smile when he saw her so happy and gave her a hug without fully understanding the reasons behind her bliss. He lifted her off the floor as she greeted him with a kiss. He pulled back, "Happy birthday, Teef… Sorry I'm late…"

"Don't worry, McSpiky… I got a call that makes this the best day ever… Well, since you're here anyway."

"Nice save," he kissed her lightly, "So what happened?"

She grinned, "I'm glad you asked! A Mr. Tuesti called over an hour ago…"

"And…?"

"And… he wants to meet to discuss a contract!" she hugged him tighter, burying her nose in his hair for a moment.

"You mean… a recording contract?"

"Yes! Isn't this great!?"

He tightened his grip on her, "I'm happy for you, Teefs…"

She pulled back and looked him in the eye, "You don't sound happy…"

"I am," he gave her a smile, "It's just that you're gonna be pretty busy soon…"

She rubbed her nose against his, "I'll make time for you. I promise."

He smiled openly, "Good." He pressed his lips to hers with more passion before feeling a smaller amount of weight slam into his leg. He broke off the kiss and looked down, setting Tifa down at the same time, to find Marlene clinging to his leg. He laughed, "Hey, Marlene. What's up?"

She grinned, "Hi, Cloud! Take care of my sister, okay?"

Tifa blushed, "Marlene…"

Cloud chuckled and bent down to her level, wearing a sincere smile, "Don't worry, Marlene, I will."

Tifa's blush deepened, "Cloud…"

He stood up again, "'Kay, see you later, Marlene." He called inside the house, "'Bye, Reno!"

The redhead's voice called back, "Yeah, yeah… Just don't go… getting distracted and leavin' me with Marlene all day!"

Tifa shouted a counter, "Barret'll be here in a couple hours! You'll live!" She turned to Cloud and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Cloud laughed and wrapped his hands around her waist, locking his lips with hers. "Eww!" Marlene gagged and ran back into the house.

The couple laughed and watched her go. Tifa turned back to Cloud, "So… Why are you late? And on my birthday, no less!"

"Sorry…" she let out a yelp as he picked her up and carried her over to Fenrir, "I caught my sister and Vincent in bed this morning and had some issues to sort out." He shook his head as he set her on the bike.

She settled into him as he sat behind her, "Cloud… That's… kinda weird…"

He shrugged, "Some might say the same about us."

"Huh?"

"So… Where to?"

"Huh? Oh! I heard there's a new park in Sector Six. Wanna check it out?"

"Whatever you say. You are the birthday girl."

**(Tifa, 1:03 p.m.)**

Tifa climbed off Fenrir after she and Cloud arrived at the small park. She walked through the gate and onto the artificial grass. He caught up to her and took her hand in his, a casual action that still managed to take her by surprise. She smiled at him and wandered over to a big, leafy tree in the middle of the field. She sat down and pulled him down, too. He settled in next to her, still holding her hand, and spoke, "So…"

She looked over at him, prompting him, "Hm?"

"How's my song coming?"

She laughed, "I told you before, it's harder to write a song when the lyrics come first."

"So… That means… what, exactly?"

"That I still haven't even written the chorus."

He scratched the back of his head, "Oh, man…"

"Don't worry… When it's done, you'll get a special viewing."

He smiled and leaned over her. "I'm looking forward to it…" he mumbled before capturing her lips. She felt her heart pound in her ears as his free hand came over her and settled on her hip. He let go of her hand and placed his other palm on her other side, effectively pulling her on top of him. She blindly moved her hand to find his once more, twining her fingers with his as she ran her other deep into his blond locks.

**(Aeris, 1:23 p.m.)**

Aeris waited in the restaurant, Cissnei and Elena across from her. She tapped her palms on her knees as she waited for them to order. The waiter watched them muse through the menus and asked, "Would you like some more time to decide?"

"No!" Aeris shouted, "They're ready now!" She glared at them over their menus.

Elena surrendered her menu to the waiter, "I'll have the Penne Alfredo."

Cissnei followed suit, "Ravioli, please."

"Alright," he turned and left.

"Finally!" Aeris moaned.

"Okay…" Cissnei crossed her arms, "What's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal? I'll tell you what the big deal is!" She brought her left hand above the table, "Genesis proposed!"

Both Elena and Cissnei were all over her hand in an instant. The latter spoke, "Nuh-uh! Dibs on Maid of Honor!"

"Hey!" Elena looked at her, "That's not fair!"

"Guys!" Aeris held up her hands, "He just popped the question yesterday…! It's a little early to be making plans like that…! But… if you two can't figure it out, I might just have my mom be my Maid of Honor!"

The redhead looked at her, "You're… not serious, are you?"

"I might be. You two better get along and had better be content with whatever I decide. Or else."

Blonde and auburn replied in unison, "Gotcha."

**(Zack, 2:52 p.m./11:52 a.m.)**

Zack sat out at one of the tables on the veranda, sipping a Costa del Solace. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to find Angeal standing there, sliding a business card into the inside pocket of his open blazer. He sat down opposite Zack and sighed. The actor raised an eyebrow, "So? What'd she want?"

His agent looked up, "Huh? Oh… You know what? I used to be a lot better at separating business and pleasure…"

"Say what?"

He raised his eyebrows, "Turns out Ms. Rui isn't involved in a relationship right now. Who would've thought?"

"Okaaay… That… was unexpected. So what did she want?"

"I have no idea. We didn't get that far."

"Right…"

"As if you're one to judge."

"Never said I was. I'm just not sure how to take this…"

"It's your fault I haven't had a date in years."

"You're blaming me?"

"Yep. If I wasn't always so busy waiting hand and foot on you, I'd have plenty more time to have a personal life."

"It's still weird."

**(Cloud, 3:17 p.m.)**

Cloud and Tifa lay in the grass beneath the great tree; the latter snuggled into the former's side. She looked up at him, twisting her fingers in his hair, "So… What are you doing tonight?"

He replied without hesitation, "Same thing you are."

She smiled a little, "Cloud… I… think I'm ready… to try the next step. What about you?"

"Only if you are. If you're _sure_ you are."

"I am sure. I've… been thinking about this for awhile, actually…"

"Really? You have?"

"Uh-huh. Cloud… I…"

He looked down at her, "Tifa?"

"I-I realized something yesterday… Cloud, I-"

She was cut off by the sound of Cloud's phone. He groaned and checked the caller I.D. He flipped it open and held it to his ear, snarling, "Go to hell, Vincent." He flipped it closed again and stuffed it in his pocket, rolling onto his side to fit into her form more comfortably, not to mention more intimately. He kept one hand around her waist and stroked her hair with the other. He pressed a kiss to her lips, "I'm sorry about that… Vincent has a terrible sense of timing. What were you saying?"

She gave a little chuckle, "It's nothing. Forget about it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah…"

"If you say so."

She laughed and gave him a quick peck on the lips, "So, anyway… Is your sister gonna be home tonight?"

"Probably…"

"So is Reno…"

"Luc didn't have any trouble inviting company over last night. I don't have a problem returning the favor."

She tapped a finger on his nose and grinned devilishly, "You are naughty…"

He smirked back, "I know." He used his nose to knock her finger out of the way and pressed his lips to hers once more. Her arms found their way around his shoulders as he dug his hand deep into her hair. She curled her fingers, scratching at his shoulder blades. He pulled back for a moment, "The only thing holding me back right now is the fact that we're in public…"

"Cloud… You are so… Mmph!" she let out a noise of frustration before ramming her face against his neck. He moved his hand out of her silken brown locks and down to her back, stopping when his fingers found the back pocket of her jeans. His other hand slid under the hem of her shirt and hooked his fingers around her bra strap. She gave a small squeal of surprise before pulling closer to him.

**(Aeris, 4:42 p.m.)**

Aeris sat in the red convertible, her fiancé beside her, toying with the diamond ring she'd fastened to a chain on her neck while working. She tucked it into her shirt and smiled at Genesis as he pulled up to the curb. She climbed out of the car as he did and together they made their way down a block to the Lucky Girl. Zangan nodded a greeting as the two of them approached and opened the door for them. Aeris smiled and said, "Hey, Zangan! Did you have a good weekend?"

"I did indeed. And yourself?"

"The best ever!" she opened her mouth to say more but Genesis grabbed her arm and started pulling her down the stairs.

He chuckled, "Aeris… We have to set up…" He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You can tell him later…"

"Okay… See you after work, Zangan!"

The bearded man barked back, "Right!"

She let Genesis pull her behind the bar and watched him as he started organizing the glasses under the bar with practiced ease. She smiled a little and moved to the back room to refill the stock of beer varieties.

**(Tifa, 5:32 p.m.)**

Tifa and Cloud walked into the Dragoon, a bar-steakhouse combination restaurant. They sat down on the benches while waiting to be seated. A group of four men came in after them, one blond, one with silver hair, a redhead, and a floppy, pointed hat on the last one. Tifa eyed them warily before feeling Cloud's arm settle on her shoulders. The one with silver hair and a red cloak struck up the conversation, "See! I told you we should have used my intricately designed graph of restaurants in the Sector Six area to decide where to eat! Now we have to wait!"

The one with the floppy hat grumbled, "Quit yer moaning, you feather-tipped, die-rolling, sword-wielding practitioner of sissy White Magic!"

The red-haired, armor-wearing man piped up, "I heard someone say 'swords'!"

Tifa decided it was high time to tune them out. The waiter came over and eyed the waiting customers as Cloud stood and said, "Two, please."

The waiter nodded, picked up two menus and gestured towards the tables, "Right this way…"

He led Cloud and Tifa to an empty booth and set the menus down on opposite sides. Tifa sat down, picked up the menu and scooted over just in time for Cloud to drop down next to her. He reached across the table and grabbed the other menu, flipped to the steak section and placed an order within thirty seconds. Tifa laughed and looked over his shoulder at the steak listing. She rested her cheek on his arm, musing, "I think I'll have the Filet Mignon…"

"Alright. Would you like something to drink?"

"Believe it or not, I don't really feel like liquor… I'll have an iced tea with lemon."

Cloud looked up, "Beer on tap."

"Alright. I'll be right back with those."

He turned to Tifa, "You okay? Since when don't you drink?"

"I'm fine… I just don't feel like it right now."

"Okay…" he kissed the top of her head, "Whatever you say, Birthday Girl."

She laughed and slapped him on the shoulder, "Bug off."

**(Zack, 6:02 p.m./3:02 p.m.)**

Zack sat in one of the wicker chairs in Kunsel's gathering room as the producer stood at the front. She tapped the side of her glass, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?" All heads turned to face her, "Thank you. I have two announcements to make. First, we're planning to start filming the next season of 'Two Princes' next week Monday. I expect all of you to be in Midgar at the regular studio then. Secondly, as some of you may know, our contract with Falcon Records, the company who produced the music, ended, and we've been looking at other companies to see if we can find a higher bidder. We have found our new company, and the contract was signed three weeks ago. A representative of the company, Urban Originals Ltd, is here with us today. Miss Shalua Rui?"

Shalua walked forward, "Thank you. While I myself will not be working with you, I intend to make sure you receive the finest team we have."

The producer nodded, auburn hair shifting, "Thank you, Miss Rui."

Zack stared blackly at the two women, "So that's it!" Everyone turned to face him, "I knew I'd heard the name 'Rui' before… You're related, aren't you?"

Shalua pushed her glasses up her nose, "Yes, Mr. Fair. Your producer is none other than my little sister, Shelke."

"Little?"

Shelke sighed, "I'm only nineteen."

"Seriously!?"

Completely at ease, she replied, "Yes. If you feel the need to get into my background story, have your agent talk to my P.A. to organize a lunch."

He gave a small salute, "Will do, Ma'am."

**(Tifa, 6:21 p.m.)**

Tifa sat beside Cloud in the Dragoon, eagerly awaiting her dessert. The waiter came over and set the oversize slice of mud pie in front of the young couple. She picked up her fork and went to cut a bite out of the cake, but before she could, Cloud slid it out of her reach. He grinned, "Not yet." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a single candle and stuck it in the middle of the cake. He pulled a lighter out next and lit it.

Tifa gave him an embarrassed smile, "Cloud, you don't have to…"

His grin widened, "If you think I'm done, you're crazy." He turned, stood up on the bench and pulled Tifa to her feet beside him. He called out, "Hey, everyone? Sorry to disturb your meal, but today just so happens to be this beautiful woman's birthday… I was wondering if you all wouldn't mind taking a second to help me celebrate?"

Tifa buried her face in his shoulder, "Cloud… When we get home…"

He kept one arm around her shoulders and waved the other like a conductor striking up the band, "Haaappy birrrthday to youuuu…" Various voices chimed in throughout the restaurant, while others gave an audible complaint before shutting up. Tifa tried to sit back down a couple times, but at every attempt, Cloud just held her around her waist, keeping her at his side. When she failed to hide in the booth, she kept her face hidden in the blond's sleeve, a bright red blush adorning her face.

**(Aeris, 7:57 p.m.)**

Aeris ran back and forth, trying to keep everyone in the busy bar satisfied. A hand reached out and caught her sleeve, almost knocking her to the floor with her built up speed. She caught herself and looked over, "What's up, Cissnei?"

The redhead shrugged, "I think I'm gonna take off… I have a final tomorrow that I should probably study for…"

"Okay! See you tomorrow!"

"'Bye!" she hopped off the stool and went for the door. Aeris scratched her cheek with one finger, feeling like she forgot something. She shrugged to herself.

Genesis snuck up behind her, "Something wrong?"

The brunette jumped, "No… At least, I don't think so…"

"Okay. Let me know if you figure it out."

"Alright!"

**(Cloud, 9:36 p.m.)**

Cloud opened the door to his home and leaned inside, calling out his sister's name. When he received no response, he looked over his shoulder at the brunette clinging to his middle. He grinned, "Looks like she's still at her night class… It's all ours."

Tifa gave a laugh, moving her hands from his waist to his back and shoved him inside. She whispered seductively, "I _do_ owe you for back there…"

Cloud grabbed her hand in his and pulled her up the stairs to the apartment. After unlocking and opening the door, he twisted around and pulled her against him. He pressed his mouth against hers and set his hands on her hips. She returned the kiss and started clawing at his pullover shirt. They moved towards his bedroom at the other end of the small house, shedding clothing all the while. They bumped into the side of his bed and dropped down onto it. He moved away from her lips and placed small kisses along her cheek and down her neck. He came across the rough skin of a scar on her left shoulder and ran his tongue along it. Her actions were blind as she placed a hand on either side on his face and pulled his attention away from the damaged flesh and back to her lips. He obliged without hesitation, pressing his mouth to hers once more.

**(Zack, 10:13 p.m./7:13 p.m.)**

Zack walked up to his bedroom in his own home and dropped down on the bed. He pulled out his cell phone and jumped when it rang. He answered it, "Hey, Cissnei, what's up?"

The redhead replied, "Hello, Zack. I… have good news and bad news…"

He sat up, "Uh-oh… Hit me with the… good first!"

"Well, my best friend is getting married… Her boyfriend proposed over the weekend."

"Hey, that's great news! Tell her congrats for me!"

"I will…"

He paused, "And the bad?"

"Well… I… haven't exactly told her you and I are dating… or that we've even met, for that matter…"

"Which means…?"

"Which means… Unless you come back to Midgar to give us a fake meeting, I can't ask you to be my date at the wedding."

"Oh, man! Are you still gonna come out here?"

"I don't think I should…"

"Heh. Well, you're in luck. The writers of 'Two Princes' want to start filming next week and you'll never guess where the studio is…"

She hesitated for a minute, "Midgar?"

"Bingo."

"Ohh…"

"What's wrong, babe?"

"It's just- Ahhh!" she released an ear-splitting scream as a loud 'thud' sounded.

Zack jumped to his feet, "Cissnei! Cissnei! Are you there!?" He kept shouting her name to the phone before hearing a crunching sound and a dead line. He ran out of his room and into the suite across the hall, calling out, "Angeal! Where are you!?"

He jumped up from his plush armchair, "What in the world is wrong with you?"

"Something happened to Cissnei!" he cried on the verge of hysterics, "Weweretalkingherfriendgotengagedshescreamedandthelinewentdead!"

"What? Slow down…" he set his hands on Zack's shoulders, "Okay. What happened?"

"Cissnei… We were on the phone… She was saying how her friend was getting married, and then she screamed… The line went dead a minute after that…"

"I'll call some of my connections in Midgar. Don't worry. We'll find out what happened."

"Thanks, Angeal…"

* * *

Should I up the rating to 'M'? I mean, the naughty stuff isn't very descriptive, but there is quite a bit of cussing… What are your thoughts?

Oh… and I started a poll… Which story should I update/start? I have a lot of ideas, and I'm fighting to figure out which ones to follow through with! Help!

And who in their right mind pronounces Lucrecia Loo-cret-SEE-yuh? I've been saying it Loo-cray-shuh… Call me crazy, but it just sounds better that way.

As always, please review! -OCV


	9. Chapter IX

Hmm… Something has gone horribly wrong here… I must've thought there was another chapter in the middle somewhere… I thought Genesis proposed on Sunday and Aeris's exam was on a Monday… To make up for this, I fixed up chapter seven so Aeris doesn't mention having exams the next day and I changed chapter eight so Aeris doesn't have an exam that morning… What in the world was I thinking?

Wow! So many reviewers this time! Old and new faces! And due to the numerous responses, I've decided to keep a 'T' rating. Thanks to everyone who gave their opinion!

**mira ff**: Hm-hm… So many guesses, such a big mouth to struggle to keep closed… Yep, I'm a sucker for Cloud/Tifa fluff, too… Annnd… Let me just remind everyone else that the Cloud/Aeris in the summary has yet to happen…

**Valentine'sNinja**: I'm sorry about the suspense, but this story is probably going to be taking a more serious turn in the next couple of chapters… As for Angeal, I'm glad he's enjoyable. I've never played CC, so I kinda took a guess on his personality…

**Rukichigo93**: By the time you reach this point, I hope you're satisfied with the CloTi! …For however long it lasts…

**kitsune13**: Tripping on the phone cord? Cissnei's sudden absence was supposed to be more serious than that… If you thought Zack was getting his act together last time, wait 'til you see him in this chapter…

**The Lone Wanderer**: Hmm… Zack re-enacting an action flick? Not quite… My Lucrecia is OOC, but, then again, so is Vincent…

**Master of Catdoken**: By the time you catch up, Zack won't be quite so… free… with his women. Yeah, Tifa with her Chibi-chocobo pajamas wasn't really necessary, but it's the little things that offer character development…

Ohh… I know my profile said no F-word (Well… it doesn't anymore…), but I thought I'd give you a heads up. The little bugger'll be pokin' its ugly head out in this chapter…

And thanks again to The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing!

_**Chapter IX**_

_**Monday…**_

The following takes place between 9:45 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

**(Tifa, 9:48 a.m.)**

Tifa woke up and looked around the familiar room. It took her brain a moment to register where exactly she was. Her eyes widened when she remembered the events of the previous night, _'Cloud…!'_ She searched the room in vain for her blond companion. She cocked an eyebrow, _'Huh… Where did he…?'_ She shrugged and looked to the side, burying her face in his bedcovers, reveling in his scent. She jumped when something hard slid down the pillow and hit her nose. She sat up a little to find a small white box, roughly one inch by seven, with a sticky note stuck to the top. She plucked the piece of paper off the box and read it, _'Morning, Beautiful! Happy one-month anniversary… I tried to get you something that'd have some personal value… How'd I do? –Cloud. P.S. I'm downstairs. Had to open the shop.'_ She gave a little laugh and lifted the lid on the box to find a delicate-looking silver bracelet with three charms hanging off of it. She gently picked it up to examine it further, forgetting for a moment that she was still naked as the sheet dropped to her waist. The first charm was a miniature version of the Cosmo Canyon symbol for family. She smiled and looked at the next, chuckling when she found a little silver microphone. She moved to the last, clutching a hand to her chest when she found two little hearts linked together. She smiled, clasped the bracelet to her wrist and got out of bed.

**(Cloud, 9:59 a.m.)**

Cloud waited behind the counter, arms crossed, bored out of his mind. His cell phone rang a minute later; he grabbed it and answered it, "What's up, Vincent? Do you know what time it is?"

"Sorry if I interrupted playtime, kid. Have you seen the news yet?"

Cloud furrowed his brow in confusion, "No… Why?"

"I sent you the link. Watch it as soon as possible."

"Fine." He pressed the 'end call' button and went over to his email and found one from Vincent. He opened it and selected the link, bringing up a news report. (A/N: Can cell phones even do that?) He watched the clip, wondering at first why Vincent would send him something about Midgar's biggest form of vandalism in twenty years until it showed the actual graffiti. Painted in neon colors on the side of one of the buildings on the Midgar U campus was a message that said, 'Come, Dog of Hell. Come to the place where the clover and the light meet to dance. Come on the eve of the Lady's day.' Cloud closed the news article and dialed Vincent's number.

He picked up before the first ring died away, "So, what d'you think, kid?"

"'Where the clover and the light meet to dance…' Probably in the alley between Shamrock Avenue and Radiance Street."

"Where the hell is that?"

"It's a dumpy little place in Sector Five."

"I'll have Jessie check it out."

"Gotcha." He heard footsteps on the stairs. "I gotta go." He flipped his phone closed and slid it in his pocket, looking up as the brunette sauntered in, wearing the same jeans from last night with one of his t-shirts. He raised an eyebrow, "I know you got a kick out of taking my clothes off last night, but I didn't think it was because you wanted to wear them…"

She blushed a furious shade of red, "Cloud…"

She reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her face and he caught sight of the silver metal attached to her wrist. He grinned inwardly, "You like it?"

"It's just a t-shirt, Cloud…"

He chuckled and moved closer, taking her hand in his. He gently moved his fingers down her wrist and touched the bracelet with a lover's tenderness, "I was talking about this."

A look of understanding crossed her features, "Oh… Cloud, I love it." An awkward silence filled the room at the mention of the L-word. Tifa seemed to recover a little faster than he did, placing a light kiss on his cheek. He felt her press something hard into his palm as she whispered in his ear, "Happy monthiversary."

He looked at her for a moment before glancing down at her gift for him. He opened the small box to find a small, silver, wolfish earring. "Tifa…"

"You always wear the same, generic stud; day after day, week after week…"

He chuckled, "A stud for a stud."

She laughed openly, "Cloud… I thought this was more appropriate."

"How come?"

"Well… according to mythology, Fenrir was a wolf, right? Given how much you adore your bike, I thought it was only appropriate you had something else to connect yourself to it…"

'_If only you knew…_' He nestled his nose in her hair, "I'll treasure it always."

She kissed his neck, "I should probably get a shower… Barret's gonna pick me up from here and then we're all gonna head over to the record company…"

"Go ahead… But use Luc's shampoo."

She laughed, "I assume it has some sort of perfumey scent to it?"

"Probably. I just know that mine'd smell horrible on you."

"Mm… It smells pretty damn good on you."

**(Aeris, 10:31 a.m.)**

Aeris picked up a cardboard box and started packing some extra clothes. She turned around to face her fiancé, "Hey… Genny? Are you sure you don't mind?"

He looked up at her, "Mind what?"

"Me moving in with you so soon."

"You're not moving in _yet_… You're just getting rid of some of the things you won't be needing for the next three days."

"I know… But I feel like I'm intruding…"

"Aeris…" he set his hands on her shoulders, "We're getting married. You're not intruding on me in any way."

"I know… Thanks, Genny…"

**(Zack, 10:43 a.m./9:43 a.m.)**

"Come onnn…!" Zack slapped his knees impatiently as the train started moving.

Angeal walked into the cabin, cell phone to his ear, "Yes… I see… Thank you… No, I understand… Thank you… Good-bye." He snapped his phone shut and looked at his client, "I've got good news and bad news…"

Cissnei's words from the previous night flashed through his mind, _'Hello, Zack. I… have good news and bad news…'_ He looked up at his agent, "Good first."

"Good. Because it wouldn't have made any sense the other way. The good news is that I found her."

Zack jumped out of his seat, "Really!?" The realization struck him like an I-beam, "…And the bad news is…?"

He took a deep breath, "She's in the hospital. And before you ask, they wouldn't give me details over the phone."

"Well, what're we waiting for? C'mon! We gotta go see her!"

"We will, don't worry. But we still have the train ride back to Midgar…"

He punched the wall next to him, "Damn it!"

"Just… calm down, okay? And I'm driving once we get there," he held up the keys to Zack's Gabbiani.

"What the…?" he patted his pockets, "When did you get those…?"

**(Tifa, 11:12 a.m.)**

Tifa walked down the stairs of Cloud's home and heard voices talking in the shop. Cloud's voice sounded, "Shut the hell up already…"

Yuffie's high-pitched tone sounded off, ignoring her friend's plea and mocking him instead, "And then, when she falls for my manly charm, I'll seduce her down to her little black panties and-"

Tifa pulled the door open, "Ahem. Good morning, Yuffie."

"Eep!" she squealed in surprise before reaching a conclusion, "Hey… You already got her down to her panties, didn't you?"

Tifa felt the heat rise in her cheeks before replying, "Less, actually."

Cloud blushed a little himself before adding his piece, "Hey, Yuffie… When was the last time you got down with it?"

"Hey! This conversation isn't about me! It's about you two!"

Tifa opened her mouth to counter when her cell phone started ringing. She plucked it from her pocket, "Hello?"

Reno's obnoxious voice replied with a smile sounding through it, "Hey, Teef. Sleep well?"

"Goddess, Reno. I just went over this with Yuffie…"

"Yuffie? Did she call you?"

"No… She's sitting right here, on Cloud's counter. Why?"

"She just left our place. I mean, _just_ left. As in ten minutes ago."

She raised her gaze to look at the teenage girl who was currently fiddling with a white tulip and shouting at the blond, "Hey! It's supposed to be a rose! I'm the White _Rose_ of Wutai!"

Tifa turned her attention back to the phone, "Maybe she has a twin?"

Reno made shuddering noises, "Oh, Sweet Minerva… _Two_ Yuffie's?"

"Anyway, you guys coming here?"

"I need directions. Only been there once."

"Yeah, okay… You got a pen and paper? 'Cause I'm only saying this once."

"Yeah, yeah… Oh, hang on a sec…" Tifa could hear something banging around in the back. Before she could ask, Reno spoke, "Hey, Barret! Marlene!" He was silent for a minute, "Oh, she's on the phone, let me ask." He addressed Tifa again, "Hey, ah, can your boyfriend watch Marlene? Barret said the sitter he got canceled at the last minute."

"Oh… Just a sec. Let me ask." She looked up at Cloud, and, at Reno's and Yuffie's expense, raised her voice a little to say, "Hey, Sexy! Can you take care of Marlene today?"

Both of her friends gagged audibly while Cloud replied, "Sure thing, Curves. Just so long as she's easily distracted by flowers and/or shiny objects."

Tifa raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. She turned back to the phone, "Yeah, sure. Just bring her with you when you come to pick me an' Yuffs up."

"Gotcha. Anyways, back to the directions…"

**(Aeris, 11:36 a.m.)**

She walked into Genesis's comfy, two-room bachelor-pad holding a box filled to the top with some of her things. She walked in a couple steps and set it on the floor, "So… This is home, huh?"

Genesis nodded, pulling the key out of the door, "I'll have another key cut for you. In the meantime, you'll just have to hang out with me. I guess we can pile your stuff in the guest room… Or," he scratched the back of his head, "Your bedroom, if you don't want to share yet…"

She froze, the thought something that had never crossed her mind before, "Um… I don't know… I guess?"

"You guess what?"

"We can share… I mean… we slept on the couch together at my parents'… And we fell asleep together in my dorm… Good thing Elena didn't report us."

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Yeah. You're so close to graduating… I'd never forgive myself if you lost that because of me."

"You're the best, Genny." He leaned down to kiss her and paused when her phone started ringing. She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, Genny…" She pulled her phone out of her backpack, furrowing her eyebrows when she didn't recognize the number, "Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Aeris Faremis?"

She scrunched her nose when the woman pronounced her name 'EER-is', "Yes, it is. What can I do for you?"

"My apologies. I'm Dr. Chloe Falsh, from the Shinra Memorial Hospital in Sector Four…"

"What do need from me? Is this one of those surveys?"

"Um, no. Are you friends with Shuriken Cissnei? This number was found in her wallet…"

Her voice was instantly full of concern, "Did something happen to Cissnei?"

"I'm afraid so. Her condition has stabilized, but if you could come down to the hospital as soon as possible, it would be greatly appreciated."

She made frantic hand motions to Genesis, signaling for him to get the keys and go, "I'm on my way now!"

"Thank you."

"Thank you!" she snapped the phone shut and turned to Genesis, "Cissnei's in the hospital! We have to go see her!"

Apprehension crossed his features as he grabbed his keys and followed Aeris out the door, "Where to?"

She climbed into the front seat of his car, "The Shinra Memorial Hospital!"

"Got it!"

**(Cloud, 12:45 p.m.)**

He stood at the counter; Marlene sat on the floor near him, toying with a pink daffodil. She looked up at the blond, "Cloud?"

He turned away from his task of twisting stems to face her, "Yeah?"

"Do you love Tifa?"

The innocent question inspired a blank expression from him. He swallowed, "What do you mean, Marlene?"

"You know, love. Like you see in all the movies… When a guy and a girl meet and start kissing. They always fall in love with each other and live happily ever after. Are you and my sister gonna live happily ever after?"

He smiled for a second as he bent down to her level, "If I have anything to say about it, we will. All of us together… Tifa, me and you."

Her face brightened, "Really!?"

"Of course. We couldn't leave you out. You're family."

"But what about Lucrecia?" she said the name with mocking disgust.

He laughed, "Unfortunately, she's family, too. So, yeah, we'll be stuck with her for awhile."

"Bleh. If she starts tryin' to explain all that sciencey crap again…"

He chuckled, "Marlene… You sayin' bad words?"

"'Crap' isn't a bad word. Reno said so."

"And you trust Reno's knowledge on what words are bad and which ones aren't?"

"He knows so many swear words. I think he'd know which ones are bad."

"Fine. You win this one. Just don't go saying 'crap' in front of Tifa. She'd probably think it was my fault."

"I live with Barret, Cloud. And I spend a lot of time with Reno, too. Trust me. You're like an angel compared to them."

He chuckled and went back to his flowers, "I believe you, don't worry about that."

She stood up and watched him for a minute before asking, "Can you teach me?"

"Teach you what?"

"How to do that. Make all the flowers look pretty."

"Sure. Come 'ere," he lifted her up and set her on the counter. "Okay, I suck at explaining things, so why don't you just watch what I do and see if you can copy."

She nodded brightly, "Okay!"

**(Zack, 1:23 p.m.)**

Zack jumped out of his Gabbiani the second Angeal put it in park outside the hospital. He ran up to the revolving door, his agent not far behind. He speed-walked to the desk, "Hi! I'm looking for a girl named Cissnei! What floor is she on?"

The receptionist glanced up before looking at the computer, "Is Cissnei her first name?"

"Yeah!"

She typed a quick entry on her keyboard, "I'm sorry, Sir. There's no one here by that name."

"What? You gotta be kidding me!" He turned to his agent, "Angeal! Is this the right hospital!?"

"I'm positive…"

A smooth, masculine voice spoke from behind them, "Excuse me, but did you say you were looking for Cissnei?"

Zack turned to see a man with slicked back black hair with a single strand of bangs, much like his own style. The actor raised an eyebrow, "Who're you? Do you know where she is?"

The strange man pressed his glasses to the bridge of his nose and shook his head, "Little sister Shuriken was so irresponsible." He walked over to the desk and leaned against it, "I believe the name they're looking for is _Shuriken_ Cissnei."

Zack looked at him blankly, "Her _last_ name is Cissnei? And did you call her 'sister'?"

"Alas, little Shuriken is my younger sister. I am Katana, her older, wiser brother."

A girl with big eyes and a sandy blonde ponytail came up behind him, "Hey, Kati, didja find her?"

Katana rolled his eyes, "Go away, Shotgun."

She stuck her nose in the air, "Hmph! You're so rude!" She turned and smiled brightly at Zack, "Hi. I'm Shotgun Cissnei, Shuriken's big sister. You can call me Sho-Sho. Don't ask."

The receptionist looked up, "She's in room four-eighty-six."

Zack smiled brightly at the woman, "Thanks!" He ran for the elevator and jammed the 'up' button repeatedly.

Katana walked up behind him with Angeal and Shotgun beside him, "So how do you know my dear little sister?"

Zack scratched the back of his head, "Um… we, uh, dated?"

"Hm. I assumed as much. Little Shuriken always did have a soft spot for men with egos."

"Hey!"

Angeal stepped between them, "Hey, now. Watch it, you." He turned to Zack, "Though, you know, he's got a point. Your ego is big enough to see from the top of the Shinra building…"

Katana watched the light on the elevator tick down floor by floor, "I said nothing to insult you. I simply stated one of little Shuriken's tastes in men."

The elevator finally opened before them and the four of them got on. Angeal pressed the button for the fourth floor with a sigh. They rode in silence until the doors opened at their destination. They got off and Katana walked over to the nurse's station for directions to Shuriken's room. Shotgun turned to Zack, "So… Are you and Shuri still dating?"

He looked at her, "If you're flirting with me, don't."

"Hm. Kati was right. You _do_ have an ego." She grinned, "But you're right. I was flirting. Oh, well. Looks like Shuri's got you wrapped around her little finger. What's your name, anyway?"

"Zack. This's Angeal."

Her eyes widened, "You don't mean… Zack Fair…? Do you?"

"Uh, yeah. That's me."

She squealed, "Can I get your autograph!?"

"Uh, sure…" He felt his pockets and looked to Angeal, who handed him a nine-by-twelve publicity photo of himself and a black marker without hesitation. Zack grinned at his agent's readiness and walked over to the coffee table in the middle of the waiting room and sat on the sofa next to it. He looked at the blonde, "So… How's your name spelled? Just like a shotgun?"

She followed him over and bent over a little, resting her hands on her knees, "Well, yeah, but if you can, could you make it out to Sho-Sho? That's S-H-O-hyphen-S-H-O."

He grinned a little, "Sure thing, Sho-Sho." He scrawled her name followed by his usual 'Love & Kisses, Zack Fair' and handed it back to her with a wink.

She squealed again, "Thanks!" She hugged the photo to her chest, "Martial Arts and Knife are gonna be so sorry they didn't come!"

"If you don't mind me asking, were your parents… sane… when they named you guys?"

She laughed, "Not entirely… Our mom is a weapons junkie and our dad was a drug-addled fool. Don't get me wrong, our mom's great… She's just a little weird."

"Huh…"

Katana and Angeal joined them, the former speaking, "Her room is right over there, but they said only three visitors at a time, and a friend of hers is already in there."

Angeal glanced at Zack, "Sorry, Zack. I know you want to see her, but family takes priority."

"Yeah…" Zack slumped down in his seat, "Tell her I'm out here, 'kay?"

Sho-Sho nodded, "Will do, Mr. Fair!"

"Actually," Katana adjusted his glasses, "It's… more complicated than that…"

Angeal nudged him towards the door, "Go see your sister. I'll tell him." Katana nodded and left with his other sister.

Zack swallowed his spit, "What is it, Angeal? Is she gonna be okay?"

Angeal sat down opposite him, nodding slowly, "It's, well… They said it looks like she got hit dead-on by a car. …It's likely that she'll never walk again…"

He cursed under his breath, "Damn it…" He looked back up, "There's more isn't there?"

"Yeah… When she hit the ground, she hit her head pretty bad… Zack. She… she doesn't remember a thing."

**(Tifa, 2:17 p.m.)**

Tifa sat in Reeve Tuesti's office looking over the contract with the rest of her band. She looked up the face him, "I think this looks good… Except… Could I make a little request?"

Reeve nodded, "Of course."

"Could we add something where I get to approve all my costumes? Since we'd be, you know, going world-wide, I don't want to look like a slut…" she cast a sideways glare at Yuffie.

He chuckled, "Of course, Miss Lockhart. That can be arranged."

"Great!"

"Now, then, if all of you will just sign the lines provided, we can get started. Unfortunately, I have another meeting to attend to, so I'll have one of our agents handle anything you might need. If you find her unacceptable, let me know and I'll switch her out for another." He pressed a button on his phone and spoke to his secretary, "Send her in."

"I'm sure that won't be necessary, but thank you for the option."

The doors opened and a woman with reddish-brown hair walked in. She pushed up her glasses, "Hello, I am Shalua Rui. A pleasure to meet the members of Seventh Heaven."

Tifa held out her hand, "Thank you, Ms. Rui. I'm the lead singer, Tifa Lockhart."

Yuffie jumped up, almost shoving Tifa to the floor, "I'm lead guitarist, Yuffie Kisaragi!" She patted Barret's shoulder, "This is the drummer, Barret Wallace, and this is the other guitarist-slash-keyboardist, Reno-"

"I'm sorry," Shalua spoke, interrupting Yuffie, "Did you say your name was Kisaragi?"

"Uh, yeah…"

"You wouldn't happen to be related to the great Godo Kisaragi, would you?"

She mumbled, "Great. My old man's gonna bother me here, too?"

"You're his daughter? I see."

Reeve stood up, "My apologies, but I have to be going. I'll see all of you some other time, then. From here on out, Ms. Rui is your agent. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Shalua looked at her newest clients, "Well, then. Shall we get started?"

**(Aeris, 2:21 p.m.)**

Aeris sat in a chair beside her best friend's bed, holding her hand and fingering the I.V. tube gently. She mumbled to the otherwise empty room, "Don't worry, Cissnei… You'll be okay." When she received no response, she glanced around, wondering where the duo who said they were Cissnei's siblings got off to. She jumped and looked at her friend as she stirred slightly. Aeris looked at her with concern, "Cissnei… How are you feeling?"

The red head looked around blankly, "Cissnei…? Is that… me?"

Aeris nodded, having been previously warned of her condition, "You're name is Shuriken Cissnei… You're twenty years old… You're a college student over at Midgar University…"

"Who are you…?"

Aeris fought to keep her tears back, "I'm Aeris Faremis. We've been best friends for a long time…"

"How long?"

"I don't know… Years."

"Hm…"

"What is it?"

"I don't know. My head is really fuzzy. I can't remember anything…"

Aeris touched her friend's arm gently, "Don't push yourself. You'll remember soon enough."

"Will I?"

**(Zack, 2:43 p.m.)**

Zack sat in the waiting room of the hospital, tapping his knees out of habit. Footsteps echoed down the hall and Angeal looked up to see who it was. Zack cocked an eyebrow when his agent greeted the man in the red coat with a small smile and a nod. His brain was shouting at him, telling him this man was familiar, but he couldn't remember for the life of him where from. Angeal asked him, "What are you doing here, Genesis?"

Genesis sighed, "My fiancée's best friend was in an accident. I'm here for moral support and coffee runs," he held up the two steaming Styrofoam cups filled with the dark liquid.

"Mm…" Angeal nodded.

Zack, finally recognizing the brown-haired man, said, "Ohh… I get it… You're Aeris's fiancé…"

Genesis looked up, "Yes… How do you know…?" He nodded, "Oh, right."

Zack let his mind wander for a bit and finally came to a deciding point. He stood up, walked over to the nurse's station and leaned on the counter, "Excuse me… D'you have a pencil and paper I could use?"

The nurse looked up and handed him a pad of lined paper and a black-ink pen, "Here you go."

He winked, "Thanks." He walked back to his seat and got comfortable. He ignored Angeal and Genesis as they attempted small talk and scribbled away furiously. A good ten minutes later, he finished and ripped his page from the book and folded it into thirds. He walked back to the desk, handed back the paper and asked, "Do you have an envelope? Please? I'll pay for it…"

She rummaged around in a drawer and came up with an envelope, "Here you go. Don't worry about paying. It's just an envelope."

He smiled, "Thanks." He tucked his paper inside and licked the seal, making a face at the nasty taste left behind. He scribbled down in his loose handwriting, '_Cissnei.'_ He thought better of it and added, _'(Shuriken)'_ after it. He looked up as Sho-Sho walked in, holding a tray of hospital food. He jogged over to her, "Hey, Sho-Sho!"

She looked up with a smile, "What can I do for you, Mr. Fair?"

"I… Can you… give this to Cissnei?" He shook his head, "Shuriken?"

She shifted the tray to one hand and took the envelope with the other, "How come? Do you have to go film something?"

He scratched the back of his head and lowered his voice, "Actually… I've been giving it some thought… An' I think your sister would be better off without me… She forgot everything… Maybe it's an omen?"

"If you want her to forget, then why write a letter?"

"It's… only if she remembers me later… Just to explain why I didn't come here to see her…"

"I get it," she tucked the letter into her blazer pocket.

"Thanks." He walked over to his agent, "C'mon, Angeal. Let's go."

"Huh?" he looked up, "What's the rush? I thought you wanted to see Cissnei?"

"I did. But, I… changed my mind."

Angeal shrugged at Genesis, "Duty calls. See you Thursday."

Genesis nodded, "Right."

**(Cloud, 3:52 p.m.)**

Cloud sat on Tifa's futon with the owner of it on his lap, waving as Barret backed out with Yuffie in the passenger seat and Marlene in the back. He ran a hand through her hair, "So, how'd it go?"

She smiled and kissed him lightly, "You'll never guess."

"Well, you're smiling, so it must be good, right?"

"You're supposed to guess a little more specifically than that…"

"Um… Despite your original thoughts, I'm not psychic."

She laughed, "I know…" Her grin widened, "We have a show lined up already!"

"Seriously?"

"Uh-huh!"

The door between the house and the garage opened and Reno walked out. He waved over his shoulder as he walked down the driveway towards his beat-up taxi, "See ya later, Lovebirds!"

Tifa called after him, "'Bye, Reno!"

Cloud just waved and turned his attention back to the brunette sitting sideways on his lap, "So… Is it a full-blown concert?"

"I wish! We're gonna be on _'Good Morning, Midgar'_… You know how they feature a band every weekend?"

"Not really, but go on."

"Well, we'll be performing almost all morning three weeks from now."

"So… That's… when…?"

She giggled a little, slapping him on the shoulder playfully, "The twenty-third."

"Alright. I'll mark my calendar."

"Good…" she pressed her forehead to his, "Because if you weren't there…"

He met her lips with his own, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

She smiled and stretched her feet out, "Today was exhausting. They took us on a tour of the recording studio… That place is bigger than you might think."

"Your feet hurt?"

"A little. But I've had worse."

"Scooch over."

"Huh?"

"Fine. I'll do it for you." He braced one hand around her back and the other under her knees. He lifted her up and moved her over about a foot, landing her feet in his lap. He picked up her left foot and pulled at her sock.

"Cloud! What are you…?"

He looked at her with a smile, "Giving you a foot massage. What's it look like?" He turned back towards her feet and froze, staring right at the faint remains of her tattoo. He pointed at it, "Tifa? What is this?"

"It's… just something from my teenage years… I got it removed when I realized how stupid it was…"

He touched the symbol, "Tifa… Don't play dumb." Her eyes widened at his choice words as he continued, "I know this symbol. You were in his group?"

Her eyes fell to the tattoo of a Midgar Zolom forming a letter 'S' with a long, slightly curving sword running through it, "Cloud, I…"

"Tifa… Your ex-boyfriend you told me about… Was it him?"

The tears started to well up in her eyes as she gave a short nod, "Mm-hm… But, Cloud…"

When next he spoke, the spite in his tone caught her off-guard, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Cloud… It's not that I was hiding it from you… I just… I…"

"Never mind, Tifa." He shoved her feet off his legs and stood, shoulders rigid with anger, "Fuck you, Tifa. Fuck this! I can't believe it… You were… with him…"

"Cloud!" her tears started to run down her cheeks, "Cloud, I…"

He turned to face her, a fierce anger in his eyes and spat, "Minerva curse the day we ever touched. You disgust me…" He turned and walked to his motorcycle.

She ran after him, "Cloud! Don't! I… I can explain!" When he didn't reply she cried out, "I love you!"

"Save it," he got on Fenrir, started the engine and backed out of the driveway. He took off, barely noticing her fall to her knees in the rearview mirror.

**(Tifa, 4:19 p.m.)**

She sat in a crumpled mess at the end of her driveway, crying from her bleeding heart. Her mind registered light footsteps approaching, but her heart told her to ignore them. A voice from above her asked, "Tifa?"

She glanced up briefly at the sound of her name, "Yuffie…"

The Wutaian girl bent down next to her friend, "What happened? Where's Cloud?"

"He… left. He…" she burst into tears once more, falling onto her friend for support.

"There, there…" Yuffie patted her on the back, "C'mon… let's get you to your bed…" She stood up, holding Tifa in a hug and led her to her futon, "Okay… You get some sleep… Cry your eyes out… My dad always told me that strong people don't cry, but I don't believe him. I think it takes strength to show weakness… or something like that. Anyway, you stay here, an' I'll go talk to Cloud."

"No, Yuffie, don't… I… deserve this…"

"Shut up, Tifa. No one deserves to look like you do now."

"Yuffie…"

"That's it! I'm goin' to talk to that freak! You stay right here!"

"Yuffie…" her voice was wasted as the girl ran off. Tifa turned and dropped into her pillow, turning it into a sponge full of tears.

**(Aeris, 5:17 p.m.)**

Aeris stumbled down the steps to the Lucky Girl, hoping Cid wouldn't be too mad at her for being late. She ran for the bar with Genesis at her heels and rather than lifting the divider, she ducked under it in an attempt to move faster and continued straight to the back room. She stuffed her bag in her cubby, her fiancé stuffing his coat into his, and they both ran back out, glad they'd cleaned up the night before. She shot him a small smile before getting to work. The night went by in a blur as old and new faces came and went.

**(Cloud, 5:42 p.m.)**

Cloud lay on the old mattress face down, burying his nose in the stagnant covers. He didn't know how long he'd been there, nor did he care. He was slightly content just laying there. His thoughts ran in the same direction every time they squeezed through his emotional barrier, _'Damn it! Why? Why'd it have to be Tifa? Goddess… The thought of her with him…'_

A feminine voice sounded from behind him, "There you are!" She was silent for a moment, giving him a chance to speak before continuing, "What the hell didja do to Tifa?"

He didn't bother moving, leaving his voice muffled by the fabric beneath him, "None of yer business…"

"Tifa's my friend, too! You better have a damn good explanation for leaving her in tears!"

"Yuffie… It's none of your business."

She dropped down on the mattress next to him, "I'm not leaving you alone until you tell me."

He finally gave up, raising his head slightly, "Did _she_ ever mention a past boyfriend to you?"

"Once or twice. Why?"

"Did she say his name?"

She thought about it, pressing her index finger to her lips. Finally she shook her head, "I can't remember."

"You wouldn't forget. Here's a clue: Nine letters long… Starts with an 'S'… He's got long hair…"

She pondered his clues, racking her brain for the answer. Her eyes widened, "You don't mean…!?"

He pushed himself up, rolled over and sat up, "Yeah… Sephiroth."

She dropped down into a lying position beside him, "Whoa… Talk about unexpected information…"

"Yeah… Hey, Yuffie?"

"Huh?"

"Will you do me a favor?"

"Whazzat?"

"Can you go with me to get hammered? I know I told Vincent after his breakup with that one girl that he shouldn't get hammered alone… So, could you help me keep my own advice?"

"I guess so."

"Thanks."

**(Zack, 6:58 p.m.)**

Zack sat in his luxury suite with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He stretched his arms in front of him, leaning over his desk and moaning, "I need attention…"

Angeal sat on the couch behind him, texting someone, "You were serious about Cissnei, huh?"

"Yeah… I've never met a girl like that before…"

"That's because you're used to women of fame and fortune, or just the pathetic kind who'd live in glory if they got the chance to be in bed with the Great Zack Fair."

"Maybe… So you think I should look for women who're… content?"

"No… I'm saying you should stop looking and let them find you." He raised his hands in a shrug, "That's the only way to find happiness with a woman."

"Huh… That so?"

"It's been my experience."

"Say… How's it going with Ms. Rui?"

"Shalua?" he smiled a little, "Quite well, actually. We have a date lined up for tomorrow night."

"Huh. Have fun."

"Will do."

Zack sighed again, "Does Shalua know anyone that I might like?"

"Who _don't_ you like?"

"Hey! Cut me some slack! I'm trying to be serious… The least you could do is give me some support…"

"Fine. I'll talk to Shalua and see if she knows anyone."

"Thanks, man."

**(Aeris, 9:17 p.m.)**

Aeris took a deep breath as the crowd died down a little. She sighed and leaned against the counter for a second. Genesis walked over to her, "Rissy?"

She looked up at him with a smile, "Hm?"

"I… know we planned to spend our day off together… But something's come up."

"What is it?"

"Angeal is having a gathering that night and asked me to go… I owe him a favor and he said this would fulfill it…"

"If you say so… Just… promise me you'll be careful?"

He gave her a confused smile, "What makes you think I'd need to be? It's just a social gathering…"

Her features crossed into a pout, "Oh, come on, Genny. I knew you were up to no good even before we started dating. I never asked because you always came back okay. Just promise me."

"Alright."

"Say it."

"I promise I'll be careful. I promise I'll come home safely."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her forehead to his chest, "Thanks, Genny."

**(Cloud, 9:31 p.m.)**

"Um… I think you've had enough…"

"Nah… Un more in't gonna hurt…"

"Cloud, seriously, you've had enough…"

He shook his head defiantly, "Uh-uh…"

Yuffie slid out of her side of the booth, almost falling over from her own dosage of alcohol, and slid in next to him just in time to catch him from falling over. "Okay, Mister. You've had enough."

He mumbled, voice slurred by numerous J-Rushes, "S'mine…"

"Oh, no it's not…" she reached in front of him, grabbed his drink, and gulped it down before he could.

His eyes narrowed and he leaned closer, "Hey… That wuz mine…"

She made a face, "How can you stand those things…? They taste like shit…" She turned a little, surprised to find him so close to her, "Geez… Whuz yer problem…?"

"I ever tell you… you…" he squinted, trying to remember what he was saying. His eyes lit up for a second, then faded away again. Yuffie watched him curiously; unsure of what he was doing. Before she had time to react, he leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers.

She braced her hands on his shoulders and shoved, spitting, "Cloud! Yer drunk!"

"No… I'm not…"

"Yeah, ya are…"

"No, I'm not…"

"Ya are…"

"No…"

"Alright… Let's get ya home…"

"No…"

"Too bad, bud…" She climbed out of the booth and pulled him out after her, draping one of his arms of her shoulders and keeping her hand around his middle and dragged him out of the Lucky Girl.

* * *

Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Put down the torches and pitchforks! You knew it was coming eventually! Well, maybe not the Cloud/Yuffie interaction… But you had to know the break-up was coming! And mira… I had that part written before we started talking about it… Sorry!

Oh… Now's probably a bad time to ask, but I need help. I started a YouTube account to show y'all the video I mentioned in chapter one of Fluff an' Stuff, but I don't know how to get around the copyright claim… If someone else has posted videos, could you let me know how you did it? Either by review or PM would be great! Thanks in advance!

One more thing… mira ff and I are starting to gather names in the hopes of sending Square a petition for a PS3 remake of FF7. If anyone's interested, let me know! Until we get organized, I'll be posting the names on my profile… Show your support! Sign (or send) your name!

Thank you and please review! -OCV


	10. Chapter X

I am thankful to see that only two of my wunderbar reviewers felt the need to take up arms… Luckily, one wasn't targeting me, and the other lost their lighter, so I can still continue this story. You wouldn't really want to kill me before the story's over, would you?

**mira ff**: Yes, Cloud is a freak. Tifa told him she loved him, and he keeps walking… But, try to sympathize, eh? The poor guy just had his heart ripped out…

**The Lone Wanderer**: And here I thought you would've busted out the confetti and noisemakers when Zack left Cissnei behind… And, yeah, Sephiroth is Tifa's ex. He had to make a dramatic, villainous appearance at some point, right?

**Epic Popcorn**: Yay! You're back! …With a vengeance… Three reviews! Wow! Better late than never, I always say! And for the record, Genesis proposes after a month and Aeris accepts. Thank god I found that lighter before you could light that rag… But Cloud and Tifa ARE both mature adults. They'll handle this properly… Right?

**g2Luvmeh**: A new face! Glad to have you! Doi! *Slaps forehead* I keep promising an end to the Generis tryst, but they won't let me! I assure you, though; I know when it'll happen now… Just be patient, 'kay?

**kitsune13**: I never said Sephiroth painted the building… And while sword fights themselves aren't entirely illegal, what Cloud has gotten himself involved in is. Keep in mind, Cloud lives with a paranoid sister and leaves his swords lying around the house… And, let the frogs be blessed, Zack grew up! Hallelujah!

**Valentine'sNinja**: Zack's a jerk; Cloud was just caught off guard. How would you feel if the one person you trusted more than anything had been with your most-hated enemy? Probably wouldn't be such a happy camper, I'd guess. And let me be clear, Cloud was NOT Yuffie's mystery man. The proof is in the beginning of chapter six.

Unfortunately, The Lone Wanderer's real life is taking priority over fanfiction (Damn real life… What's that getting in the way for?), so he wasn't able to beta this chapter… Please bear with my poor self-edit job once more… On the plus side, it means you guys can have it sooner!

_**Chapter X**_

_**Tuesday…**_

The following takes place between 3:20 p.m. and 7:20 p.m.

**(Zack, 3:21 p.m.)**

Zack sat in his Gabbiani, watching the scenery pass as he drove through the filthy streets of Midgar. He let out a sigh, _'Is this all there is to life…? Honestly… There's gotta be more than this!'_ He snapped out of his thoughts as his cell phone started ringing. He plucked it out of his pocket with one hand, keeping the other on the steering wheel, and flipped it open. He held it to his ear, "Hello?"

"Hey, Zack," Angeal's deep voice sounded from the other end, "I just got off the phone with Miss Rui's –the younger one's- agent and set up a meeting. Lunch didn't work between your schedules, so you got dinner."

"Okay, when?"

"Thursday. Seven o'clock."

"What!? Thursday? _This_ Thursday?"

"Yep. That's what you get when you don't give me any input."

"Okay… Where is it?"

"You're favorite club… The Pristine Escape."

Zack groaned, remembering the last time he was there, "Gotcha."

"Something wrong?"

"Nah… Just the last time I was there, it didn't go so well…"

"Eh… Oh, well. You'll manage."

"Gee, thanks."

**(Tifa, 3:53 p.m.)**

Tifa sat in the plush chair, struggling to hold her tears back while fingering the silver bracelet on her left wrist. Yuffie walked into the comfy lounge at the recording studio and sat in the chair next to her, biting her lip. The Wutaian girl spoke quietly to keep Barret and Reno from hearing, "Hey, Teef…?"

Without looking up, she moaned, "Hm?"

"I… talked to… you-know-who last night…"

"Yuffie… You didn't have to…"

"I'm saying this once… Well, twice, since I told him, too. But I'm gonna stay neutral in this… You're both my friends and I can see both sides of this… So, don't try to have me spy on him, okay?"

"I wouldn't ask you to, anyway, Yuff…"

She ran the back of her hand over her forehead as if wiping away sweat, "Whew! Thank Leviathan! So, um, how are you dealing with this?"

"I'm managing…" she pulled her knees up to hug them to her chest, "I never thought Cloud would hate me for something I tried to forget… He seemed so much more… understanding."

"Yeah… I'm so sorry, Teefs… If I'd known he was gonna go all crazy on you, I would've kept him from hurting you."

She finally looked at her friend, "Thanks, Yuffie. But you know… I don't regret a thing that happened between us. If I could turn back time and keep myself from falling in love with him, I wouldn't."

"Tifa! You… love him…?"

She gave a short nod without hesitation, "I do. I just… I wish we could work this out…"

She reached out and set a hand gently on her friend's arm, "Have you tried…?"

"Mm… I left a couple of messages on his phone."

"A couple…?"

Tifa made a sound that might've been laughter, "Yeah…"

**(Aeris, 4:27 p.m.)**

Aeris walked up the steps to Genesis's second-floor apartment with a grin on her face. She knocked on the door and it opened almost immediately. He smiled and stepped to the side to let her in, and she grinned back, "I was a little late getting here, Genny. Sorry…"

He glanced at the clock, "So it would seem. No worries."

Her smile widened, "I love Tuesday's! No work until seven!"

He took her hand and pulled her inside, "We have two hours until we have to go… What would you like to do?"

"Hmm… I don't know. We could watch a movie. There's still one in your collection of Strago Magus films that continues to elude me."

He chuckled, "Picking up on my speech habits, are we?"

"I guess so. It's normal for couples to pick up each other's habits, right?"

He threw his hands up in a shrug, "As far as I know."

She dropped down on the couch, "So… What's this one about?"

"This," he held up the case, "Is Magus's first flick. Back when he was actually a good actor." He shuddered, "The movies he's making now… Goddess… Let him retire soon…"

She laughed as he slid the movie into the player, "You like old movies, don't you?"

"Mm. Like you said, meeting an actor takes the glory out of their roles. And with Angeal being Zack Fair's agent, I meet a lot of actors. The older ones are either out of the business or senile at this point, so I can still enjoy their films."

"Huh… Makes sense." She slid over on the black leather sofa so he could sit next to her and curled into his side once he did. He rested an arm across her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her head before hitting 'Play.'

**(Cloud, 4:49 p.m.)**

'_Damn you, Sephiroth! You always have to have the last laugh, don't you?'_ Cloud's thoughts circled back to his and his friends' enemy with every punch to the heavy bag hanging from the iron rafters of their base. He paused and let out one more punch for good measure before dropping down on the couch and peeling the bloodied bandages off his knuckles.

"Don't overdo it, kid."

"Shut up, Vincent," the blond snarled without turning.

He jumped over the back of the sofa to sit next to Cloud, "So… What happened exactly? All I know is you and Tifa got into a bad spot and then you're breakin' your hands trying to kill the inanimate punching bag."

"It's none of your fuckin' business."

"That bad, huh? Even you don't say 'fuck' unless you're really depressed." He stood, "If you decide you wanna talk, gimme a call. And let me know if you'll be able to join in this week."

"Don't worry about that. Nothing could help me more than beating the shit out of that bastard."

"Correction: Let me know if you're _sane_ enough to help."

"I'm coming, like it or not."

"We'll see about that."

"Try and keep me away."

"I'll do what I have to."

"Hmph."

**(Tifa, 5:18 p.m.)**

Tifa looked at her agent, Shalua Rui, as she walked in the room, announcing, "I've arranged for the five of us to go out for a celebratory dinner in half an hour. We'd have to leave almost immediately… I hope you'll all come?"

Tifa nodded shortly, "Of course. Can I have a minute to use the ladies room first, please?"

"Sure. Anyone else have anything to take care of before leaving?"

Barret, Reno and Yuffie all shook their heads as Tifa stood and made her way to the restroom. She walked in and glanced under the stalls to make sure she was alone before locking herself inside one and sitting down on the closed lid. She touched the bracelet fastened to her wrist and burst into tears, _'Why, Cloud…? Why do you hate me so much? I don't understand it… Please… Tell me what I can do…'_ She sat inside the stall, wiping her constant tears on the sleeve of her formfitting jacket for who-knew-how-long. A knock sounded from the outside of the bathroom, breaking her reverie and making her realize how long she'd been in there.

Reno's voice called out, "You okay, Princess?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Yeah… I'm fine, Reno." She stood up, left the stall and checked her appearance in the mirror for a brief moment. She fixed her hair and splashed some water in her face in a futile attempt to hide her tears before opening the door to the restroom.

She found Reno waiting against the opposite wall, just far enough away to disguise the fact that he'd been staking out a ladies room. He scowled, "You were crying."

"Reno… I'm a big girl now. I know when I've done something wrong."

"I never said crying was wrong. Just that sneaking off to go do it when no one else's watching makes it stupid. It's not healthy."

"Hm… Maybe so, but I… It's just hard… I trusted him, you know?"

"An' then he stabs you in the back?"

She subconsciously brought her hand to touch the part of her shirt that hid her scar, "No… I… stabbed him in the back. I should've told him before."

"Yer beatin' yerself up over nothing."

"If it was nothing, I wouldn't be crying this much. I really did- do- love him."

"I meant nothing would've come of it you told him. Honestly," he gave his head a good-natured shake, "Why would you have told him? It's not like its first place in things to know about you."

"I suppose… But I still hope he can forgive me."

"You haven't done anything that needs to be forgiven."

"Reno… You know that isn't true… It's because of me that she's dead… I… I killed her…"

"Teef… There's nothing you could've done about that and you know it."

**(Aeris, 5:46 p.m.)**

Aeris felt herself jerk awake as Genesis tapped her shoulder. She looked around, "Huh…?"

He smiled at her, "You fell asleep."

"Sorry…! I… haven't been sleeping well lately…"

He looked genuinely concerned, "Why?"

"Between work and finals, sleep hasn't exactly been something I get a lot of."

He pulled her closer, "Go ahead and sleep then. I certainly wouldn't say no to some myself."

"You sure? I mean, isn't the point of getting together so we can, you know, be together?"

He smiled, "I'm content just having you near."

She curled up against his shoulder, "You're the best, Genny."

He pressed his lips to her hair, "You're done with finals tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Mm-hm…"

"Are you moving in after that, or at the end of the week?"

"Tomorrow, if you don't mind…"

"Of course I don't mind. Quite the opposite, really."

She looked up at him, "The opposite of what?"

"Of minding," he continued at her confused expression, "I'm ecstatic you're coming to stay."

"Oh. Okay," she mumbled before snuggling up against him again and feeling sleep coming.

**(Zack, 6:00 p.m.)**

Zack sat on the bed of his fancy hotel room, flipping through images in his digital camera. He passed by excited fans and cute girls he'd captured without them knowing and stopped when he came to one image. He studied the girl at his side for a moment, cocking his head in curiosity, _'Why am I so… stuck on this girl?'_ He touched the screen, sending prismatic ripples across it, _'Aeris Faremis… What is it about you…? Damn… Even when filming I had trouble keeping my thoughts- not to mention hands- away from you. Why? We just worked together for a week, tops. Then you had to go and ask for a picture together…'_ He slapped himself across the face, _'Come on, Zack! You're better than this! Quit thinking and go do something about it! …But isn't she engaged?'_

**(Cloud, 6:36 p.m.)**

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Cloud shouted as he launched himself towards the young man. He connected, sending the other to his back, knees braced on either side, one hand holding his arm and the other raised to strike a blow. He thrust his fist down and heard the satisfying _'Crack!'_ of his nose breaking.

Within seconds after his attack, Biggs and Wedge were behind him, pulling him to his feet and dragging him away from the silver-haired teen. Kadaj stood up and prodded his nose lightly, wincing at the contact. Vincent skidded to a halt nearby, "Kadaj, go get that taken care of. Bandages in the normal place."

The teen nodded and held his palm beneath his nostrils to catch the blood as it streamed out at a steady rate. Jessie walked over to him, "Here, I'll help."

He nodded, "Thanks…"

Vincent turned his fierce glare to the blond, who was busily fighting his captors, "Cloud…" He walked over to where Biggs and Wedge each held one of his arms behind his back and kept him in a kneeling position on the floor. The raven-haired man's features twitched with rage as he bent down to his level, "Cloud, we do _not_ attack our allies. Kadaj is innocent of _his_ sins. Don't get him involved in your issues."

Cloud glared back, refusing to back down, "Vincent! He's Sephiroth's cousin! How in the hell can you trust him!?"

"Maybe 'cause I didn't fall in love with _his_ ex-girlfriend. Kadaj is clean. Sephiroth is the one you want. Leave him out of this." The blond struggled in vain against the four strong arms holding him down. Vincent nodded to where Yuffie watched on the side and she came over, stood behind him and slowly slipped an arm around his neck to help hold him down. Vincent adjusted the gold armor on his left hand and curled his fingers into a fist. He looked at Cloud with a sad expression. No anger, no judgment; just pity. "This is for your own good, kid." The others watched as he drove his plated fingers into the blond's stomach. "How's that for the 'mighty Cerberus'?" he asked, grabbing a cloth to polish his gauntlet.

Cloud grimaced as the others let him drop to the floor. Most people who were subjected to Vincent's literal iron-fisted rule didn't forget the experience and all of them chose never to cross him again. Cloud spat some blood on the floor and glared, "I still don't see how you could let a punk like him into our group… We were fine without him."

Vincent bent down to address him, "Tell me, Cloud, before you joined up with us, were _you_ okay? We might've been fine, but how were you handling the cruel world on your own? As I recall, dumpsters weren't exactly your friends…"

"That's different…"

He jammed his hand into the blond's hair and lifted his head to look at him, "No, it's not. Kadaj needed our help and I wasn't gonna turn him down. Because of him, we've gotten tons more dirt on Sephiroth than we could hope for."

Kadaj walked over and bent down to look at Cloud. He spoke, voice muffled by the cloth he was holding to his nose, "I will fight on Thursday. I will not back down. This group has been so much more of a family than my blood relatives ever were. I won't abandon them, even if it does mean fighting my brothers and cousin." He gave his head a shake, "I will never forgive _him_ for all the pain he caused and the lives he's taken. I've seen firsthand what he's capable of, and I want to end it."

Cloud spit another round of blood on the floor, "Fine. I still don't trust you, but I won't keep you from your goals, either." He stumbled to his feet, "Just one thing…"

Kadaj stood with him, "Hm?"

"Sephiroth is mine."

_**Wednesday…**_

The following takes place between 10:40 p.m. and 2:40 a.m.

**(Tifa, 10:43 p.m.)**

Tifa walked into the garage and dropped down on her futon after another long day at the recording studio. She slipped her fingers inside the only place where Reno wouldn't dare go; her lingerie drawer. She came out with a notebook and glanced at the scribbled notes scattered across the pages. She sighed and set her pen to the top, outlining the title. _'Cloud's Song…'_ she thought to herself, decorating his name with elaborate stenciling, _'I… may have failed you, but a promise is a promise. I will finish your song…'_

A knock sounded on the door between the garage and the house and she snapped her notebook shut before Reno walked in, "Hey, Teefie. Wassup?"

"Reno… Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"Nope. Took the night off."

"Taxi drivers can do that?"

"Sure. Midgar doesn't need every cab, every night, ya know."

"Huh…"

"That, and you looked pretty depressed. I was a little afraid to leave you alone." He made his way to the fridge and pulled out two beers, handing one to Tifa before sitting down beside her.

"Reno… I'm all the family Marlene has… I won't abandon her for Cloud. He's not… He's not that important."

"You don't sound so sure."

"I want to be with him, but I won't drag Marlene into this. I need to get over him… It's pretty obvious that he doesn't want anything to do with me…"

"How many messages have you left him?"

"Sixty-seven."

"Since Monday!?"

"That's both voicemail and texts. You'd be surprised what a broken-hearted girl with a cell phone can do."

"You know… You're right. I would be." He noticed the notebook laying there and asked, "Whazzat?"

"My concept for… his song."

"You still gonna write that?"

She sighed, "A promise is a promise."

"Let me know if you need help with the music."

"Thanks, Reno."

**(Aeris, 11:21 p.m.)**

Aeris wiped the counter clean of spilled vodka and turned back to help a customer. She let out a sigh as she surveyed the thin crowd, _'I love Wednesday's! Early closing time… I'll be out of here at midnight!'_ She looked up as a motion from the backroom caught her eye. Shera walked out and started to pour a drink and chug it down. Aeris watched her, "Ms. Shera? Something wrong?"

The older woman looked at her, "Hm? Oh… It's just Cid… He refuses to give up smoking…"

"No surprise there. Asking Mr. Cid to quit smoking is like asking Genny to quit reading poetry."

"He's that hooked on it?"

"You wouldn't believe." She continued mixing drinks and helping customers as she spoke, "Every book in his- our- apartment is poetry, mine, or a cookbook."

Shera let out a little laugh, "At least his passion can be romantic."

"I guess…" she paused, a new thought occurring to her. She reached up to finger the ring fastened around her neck, "Ms. Shera?"

"Hm?"

"Do you have any advice? As an experienced wife?"

She chuckled, "You can be married all your life and still not understand men. But that's not such a bad thing. It's the little mysteries that make it fun to wake up every morning."

"What do you mean?"

"You discover new things about your husband every day. It surprised me at first; I thought I knew everything about Cid when I married him, but as time went by, I found it fun to keep learning new things. Otherwise, it'd just be the same boring routine every day for the rest of our lives."

"So… You're saying… to accept everything Genny is and don't let our differences get between us?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Huh… So, even if he goes overboard with his smoking habit, I should just accept it?"

"Well… There is a point when you should put your foot down. Especially when you're talking about bringing kids into the picture."

Aeris's mouth dropped open, "You and Mr. Cid are talking about having kids!?"

She gave a small smile, "Talking's about as far as we get…"

"Can I baby-sit?"

Shera laughed, "While I certainly wouldn't mind having a close friend watch my children, it would depend on whether or not you're occupied with your own little ones." She smiled and nodded her head in Genesis's direction.

Aeris felt the heat rise in her cheeks, "M-Ms. Shera! I… We… Genny and I aren't even married yet! Kids are pretty far off…!"

"If you say so. You'll be a great mom, whenever it does happen."

"Thanks… You, too."

Shera gave a little chuckle accompanied by a shake of her head as she turned back towards the backroom, "Nothing more than friends, hm?"

"Ms. Shera!"

**(Cloud, 11:56 p.m.)**

Cloud sat on one of the three mattresses in their base, sharpening his abundance of swords. He glared silently at the silver-haired teen who wisely chose to stay away from him. He didn't bother looking up as Yuffie dropped down on the mattress across from him. She stared at him for a minute, then gave up whatever battle she was fighting in her head and tossed her hands in the air. She bit her lip and started to speak, "Okay, Cloud. I can't hold it in anymore. Tifa's in love with you."

He felt his heart freeze in his chest, "No, she isn't."

She gave him a skeptical look, "You're an ass. You know that?"

"She's not worth my time. She's got her _friend_ she can go back to for all I care."

"Cloud… If you don't get yer head out of that hole and start looking around, I swear I'll pull it out for you beat the shit out of you. Tifa hates Se-_him_… If you thought to give her a chance to explain, you would've found that out by now. He hurt her; physically and emotionally. Do you have any idea how hard it was for her to build up the nerve to let you in her life?"

"I don't care. She lied to me."

Yuffie crossed her arms, "When?"

"She didn't tell me about _him_."

"So? Did you tell her about every one of your past girlfriends? Did you think it was necessary? And, yes, I hate _him_, too, but Teefs was young and blind. She realized her mistake and moved on. She got hurt pretty bad in the process, too."

Cloud's memory flashed back to the scar on her chest that he'd seen on two different occasions. It ran from the left side of her collarbone and down to the right side of her ribcage, just below her breast. He'd always wondered how she could get a scar like that, but he never felt comfortable asking. He lowered his gaze, "So that's where…" His attention snapped up, "Wait. How do you know this?"

"She told me this morning, dumbass. Now, are you gonna dig that cell phone out of your pocket and call her or what?"

"Or what. I can't… I need more time."

She let out a frustrated scream and stood, walking away. She stopped, turned to face him and said, "You really are an ass."

He looked back at his sword, "I know."

**(Zack, 12:18 a.m.)**

Zack dropped down onto his mattress with a sigh. Angeal walked into the room after him, "You know, if you didn't stay up so late, you wouldn't have any trouble in the mornings."

"It's not the hours… I've been dealing with those since I got my break eight years ago. It's the stupid costume fittings I hate…"

"It's part of the job. And it's only three days a year for each season of 'Princes' plus whatever side work you take on."

"You mean like that pain in ass called 'Shattered'?"

He shrugged, "That's one example. I thought you were a little glad to get into the nude scenes. Am I wrong?"

"I don't get any with 'Princes'… But 'Shattered was a pain on a whole different level. People always in your face, personal trainer breathing down your neck, chicks driving you mad…"

"I thought you enjoyed being the center of attention, your trainer is always on your case anyway, and I thought for sure you loved women…"

"Eh… I'm not talking about just any women… Tifa, Cissnei, and Aeris."

His agent raised an eyebrow at this, "I thought you got over Tifa?"

"Well… Kind of. She found someone else, and I just… went with it."

"Cissnei…?"

"Cissnei… You know what happened there… She deserved someone who could be there for her, 24/7. I can't."

"And… Aeris…?"

Zack dug his hands deep in his neatly gelled hair and fell back on his bed with a groan, "I can't explain it, Angeal! She… she's in my head…! All the time with that weird, cute smile of hers!"

He crossed his arms, "You are aware that she is engaged to my closest childhood friend, right?"

"Yeah, I know. That's another thing I can't figure out. Why in Gaia did it have to be an unavailable woman to swim around in my head!? Why couldn't it be someone I could do something about it with?"

"Sounds like you have a crush… One you can't do anything about. At least, you better not."

"I might have low standards. I might've just been in it for the sex. I might be a shallow jerk. But one thing I'm not is a home-wrecker."

"You make me proud, Zack."

He sat up, "Really?"

"In one department, anyway."

He grinned, "Cool."

**(Aeris, 12:59 a.m.)**

Aeris yawned and stretched her hands over her head before climbing into Genesis's car. He pulled out into the street and headed towards Sector Four. He glanced to his right and asked his fiancée, "Aeris… You are coming home with me tonight, right?"

She turned to face him, smiling, "Yep!"

A grin found its way to his face, "Good."

**(Tifa, 1:12 a.m.)**

Tifa's eyes snapped open while she lay on her futon. She climbed out of bed, feeling depressed and in need of some chocolate ice cream. She pushed the door to the house open and stopped in her tracks. There, on the couch, sat Reno and Yuffie, the latter straddling the former. They both had heard the door open and turned to see Tifa's reaction. She shook her head and asked, "How long has this been going on?"

The pair glanced at each other briefly before Reno replied, "Just over a month."

"A month? Why is this the first time I'm hearing about it?"

Yuffie clamped her teeth around her lower lip, "Um… We just… got off to a rough start… and… we wanted to hide that, and then… one thing led to another, I guess…"

Tifa smiled weakly, "I'm happy for you guys." She fought back her tears as she turned towards the door, "I'll leave you two alone."

"No, wait! Tifa!" Yuffie jumped up and chased after her friend, "Where're you going?"

"I need ice cream… and I don't want to get in your way. I can take a hint."

"Tifa…!"

"Just because my love life's a wreck doesn't mean you guys' should be, too."

"Tifa…"

"Have fun, you guys," she gave them woe-laden smile before turning towards the door and grabbing her keys from the ceramic dish and walked out the door. She ducked into her sedan and drove off, pulling up to the grocery store to get herself a tub of triple-chunk ice cream.

**(Cloud, 1:43 a.m.)**

Cloud wandered up the stairs of his home, stumbling from sleep deprivation. He found his way to his bedroom and fell over on the bed, thinking, _'Tomorrow… Sephiroth will die tomorrow…'_ A knock sounded on his doorframe, sending him through the roof. He turned to cast a glare over his shoulder and found his sister standing there with a fist poised by the doorframe. He snarled, "What do you want?"

"Geez… I was just wondering if you were doing anything tomorrow."

"Why?"

Lucrecia bit her lip, "Tomorrow's the anniversary of Mom's death, and I thought we should do something for her…"

"Huh… Oh, yeah. Vincent's counting on me for something. I promised him I'd be there."

"Cloud," she set her hands on her hips, "This is Mom we're talking about! Can't you reschedule with Vincent?"

"No. Everyone's getting together. We're meeting up with another group of people. I can't."

"Can we do something earlier in the day, then?"

"Fine. I have to meet the others at six. I'll let you figure out something to do."

"Come, on, Cloud! Listen to yourself! This is _Mom_…! If you can't show some compassion…!"

"Sorry, Luc. I've got other stuff on my mind."

"Look, I know you're in a tough spot with Ti-"

He looked up to glare at her, "Don't even say her name! I… just need to forget…"

"You… really liked her, didn't you?"

His gaze softened, if only slightly, "Yeah."

"Alright. I'll be quiet. But plan to visit Mom's grave tomorrow. And since I don't seem to have the talent, could you put a bouquet together for her?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks." She gave him a half wave before turning and walking back to her room, leaving him to his moping once again.

**(Zack, 1:54 a.m.)**

Zack released a yawn and turned his Gabbiani into the hotel parking lot. He wandered over to the elevator and took it up to his regular room. He stretched his hands over his head and yawned again. He shrugged off his jacket and shirt and switched his jeans for a pair of lounge pants. He dropped down onto his bed, _'Ahh…! I feel so much better after a couple drinks! All set to sleep like a baby!'_ He grinned and fell back against his pillows, jumping up again when his cell phone blared from the pocket of his discarded pants. He stood up and fished the ringing object out of his jeans and answered it swiftly, "Hello?"

"Hello? Zack?"

"Huh? Who is this?"

"It's me… Aeris. Millie, remember?"

"Oh! Yeah! I remember! So, what's up?"

"I… just wanted to say… I knew about you and Cissnei…"

"Huh? How?"

"I saw you two together… But I was calling to ask why you weren't at the hospital for her. You do know she's been in an accident, right?"

"Of course I know. I was on the phone with her when it happened."

"So why didn't you go see her?"

"I was there… Ask your fiancé. I thought it was better for her if I left. She needs someone better than me."

"Are you kidding me? She was probably your biggest fan."

"What fans feel and what lovers feel are two entirely different things. I've had lots of people look up to me as an actor, but when it comes to having a personal relationship, the high you get from meeting someone famous wears off and you have to be willing to deal with my stubborn ass of a personality."

She remained silent for a moment before asking, "…Angeal?"

"What?"

"Is this Angeal? Did you answer Zack's phone for him?"

"No! I… had a change of heart. What happened to Cissnei… It opened my eyes. And I want you to know… I didn't abandon her. I just… gave her the opportunity to get what she deserves. I left a letter with her sister, explaining why I left in case she remembers me on her own."

"Wow… That's… awfully mature on your part."

"Like I said, I had a change of heart. I grew up."

"I see. I wish you the best, Zack. It… was fun working with you. Kind of."

He felt a laugh echo from his throat, "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"I have to go. Talk to you some other time!"

"Yeah… 'Bye."

**(Aeris, 2:21 a.m.)**

She snapped her phone shut and unlocked the bathroom door. She smiled and threw it open to find Genesis in a plain black t-shirt and matching pants. He raised an eyebrow, "Who was that?"

"Huh?"

"I heard you talking. Sounded like you were on the phone."

"Oh! You could hear that? Sorry. It was just my mom. It's still pretty early up north, so I thought I'd give her a call…" She mentally scolded herself, _'Why'd you lie? It's not like you did anything wrong…'_

He smiled, "I see. Ready for bed?"

"Teeth all squeaky clean, pajamas on, hair brushed… Yep!" she grinned widely, showing him her white teeth.

He laughed a little, "Come on." He nodded his head in the direction of the bedroom and held a hand towards her. She took it and he tugged her lightly towards the double bed. When they were right next to it, he placed his hands on her hips and lifted her up. She gave a squeal of surprise before he laid her on the bed. He crawled on next to her and lay on his side, facing her. She smiled shyly, not really sure what to do. He took control and slid a little closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. He pressed a kiss to her hair before slowly moving his lips down to capture hers. He pulled back after a moment and whispered to her mouth, "I love you, Aeris."

She smiled, "I love you, too, Genny."

* * *

*Sigh…* It's getting hard to write 'Aeris'… I've been calling her 'Aerith' in all my other works. Maybe she'll get a name change or something…

I know, this chapter was short and probably a little boring… But it was supposed to reflect everyone's emotions through their different situations. And next chapter'll make up for it ;) Promise.

Then I guess, see you next chapter (hopefully) and please leave a review!

-Valk


	11. Chapter XI

Oya… Sorry it's late! …Huh? It's not? What the heck…? You mean to tell me I wrote the next chapter of The Dating Game, two halves of Fluff an' Stuff entries, worked on the timeline for my new fic, wrote another half of the next chapter of Stargate, spent _hours_ getting ready for tech school, and _still_ this is out early? Holy crap… Waking up before eleven does have benefits…

Anyway, a message to all my wonderful reviewers!

**nUmbskuLL**: I know… Cloud and Tifa do belong together… But that doesn't mean they'll end up that way in Tangled Web, though… Also, your metaphor for Sephiroth being the cat coming out of the bag? I thought it was funny, 'cause for some reason, Seph reminds me of kitty cat. I don't know why, he just does.

**Valentine'sNinja**: Cloud deserves no one's sympathy. He's being an irrational jerk and I was trying to make him the bad guy here. It's not Tifa's fault. Like Reno said (Yes, he was right), why would she say it? Poor Zack… He finally shows a hint of seriousness for a woman and he's still hated…

**Deaddude221**: Oya! I'm really glad you liked everyone's personalities, and thanks for taking the time to tell me why! It's always nice to receive some feedback. And why don't you feed Seph to Red?

**Epic Popcorn**: Yep! Zack and Aeris finally got some interaction! It's possible that Genny might break it off with Aeris… But, then again, he's such a gentleman… Why would he be so vain for such a pitiable reason? He's not Cloud…

**g2Luvmeh**: Yay! My decision to jam Reno with Yuffie was liked by at least two people! Poor, poor Kadaj… He just gets all the crap… I guess that's what he deserves for summoning Bahamut and terrorizing the people of Edge while trying to find JENOVA cells to turn into the most insane dude alive…

**mira ff**: No! No, no, no! Cloud's supposed to be a jerk! You're supposed to feel sympathy for Tifa! Oh, well, I guess it's a good thing Cloud still has some fans rooting for him… And look on the bright side… At least its girls Zack's taking pictures of…

**The Lone Wanderer**: Welcome back! I was just waiting until someone asked… Aeris's last name comes from Final Fantasy Ultimania, in which it's said Gast's last name is Faremis. I guess I really am way behind in giving y'all some Zack/Aeris interaction, huh? Don't worry! More will come!

Thanks again to The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing! Where would I be without you?

_**Chapter XI**_

_**Thursday…**_

The following takes place between 4:20 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.

**(Cloud, 4:21 p.m.)**

Cloud pulled at his black button-down shirt and undid the top two buttons. He stood behind his sister and held an umbrella over her, not caring if he got wet in the steady downpour. Lucrecia silently went about the task of cleaning off their mother's gravestone, letting her fingers settle on the words, _"Forever lost, forever a memory, but forever a heart that guides the day."_ Cloud had told his sister he'd found it in one of his high school poetry assignments, but he figured she didn't believe him. He let his thoughts wander, _'Tifa… I promised I'd introduce you to my mom…'_ He shook his head, _'Forget about her, Strife. But… maybe… We'll see where we both stand after Sephiroth is dead.'_

**(Zack, 5:12 p.m.)**

Zack stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He walked out of the bathroom and over to his bedroom, passing through a sitting room where Angeal sat. The agent raised an eyebrow, "Hey… You're serious about this whole 'growing up' thing, aren't you?"

The actor stopped in his tracks, "Why do you say something now?"

"You're wearing a towel."

"Angeal!"

"Hey, just last week you were sauntering about stark-naked."

"Geez… I get no respect…"

"Except from your massive flock of fangirls."

Zack walked into his room and grabbed his clothes of the hanger on the closet door and walked back in, getting dressed while he talked, "I wouldn't really call that respect…"

"Then what would you call it?"

"Idolization?"

"Same thing, Zack."

"Not necessarily. Respect is what you give to someone you look up to, someone you'd like to be like. Idolization is when you revere something like a god, and feel you can never be on par with them."

"Huh… I guess you have a point. Heh. You are growing up, Zack."

"Thanks! I am trying, you know."

"I know. Keep at it."

"I'm planning on it!"

**(Tifa, 5:43 p.m.)**

Tifa stood at the kitchen counter, making herself a sandwich for dinner. Reno and Yuffie sat on the couch, whispering in each other's ear. Tifa finished her food and slapped one slice of bread on top of the other just as Yuffie let out a yelp and jumped off the couch, crying out, "Ohmigod! I gotta go! The others are all waiting on me! See ya later, Reno! Tifa!" She gave Reno a peck on the cheek and bolted out the door, slamming it closed behind her.

Tifa looked up from the table where she sat with her sandwich waiting between closed teeth. Reno released a sigh, "Story of my life." He leaned over the back of the couch to talk to the brunette, "Hey, Teef? What d'you think?"

She swallowed her bite, "Of what?"

"Me an' Yuff."

He eyes fell to her plate, "Well… I think you guys are a really cute couple. You've had the chemistry going all these years. It's about time you did something about it."

"Whataya mean, chemistry?"

She stifled a chuckle, "You two have been going back and forth. Flirting, arguing, hitting, bitching, everything."

He sighed, "Well… Guess Yuffie's not on the same page as me."

"Why not?"

"I wanna move on a little, you know, get serious. Right now all we have is the preliminary make-out sessions. Every time I bring it up, though, she takes off."

"Like just now?"

"Yeah. I'm stuck."

She smiled sadly, "I'm not exactly the best person to get relationship advice from."

"Yeah, but, d'you think you could help me out? I mean, give me a woman's standpoint on where Yuffie stands?"

"You know, I don't get how Yuffie thinks, either. But if you want me to venture a guess, I'd say she just has terrible timing."

"You don't think it's because she doesn't like me?"

"Definitely not. She feels something for you, but whether it's as serious as you want it to be, I can't really say."

He sighed and fell back on the couch, "I'm getting confused…"

Tifa laughed, "It's not that hard, Reno. Just tell her how you feel."

"Thanks."

**(Genesis, 6:03 p.m.)**

Genesis pushed the door to his apartment open and watched as Aeris ran inside. She stopped in the middle of the living room and turned to face him, a grin on her face, and said, "It was good to see Cissnei again… even if she doesn't know who I am. Well, I'm gonna go shower. Hospitals always make me feel yucky."

He walked over to her, "Is that so?"

She nodded, "Yup!"

"Mm… I probably won't be here when you get out. I was supposed to leave to meet with Angeal…" he glanced at the clock, "ten minutes ago."

"Oh! Well, move! Move, move, move!"

"You don't worry about me. Angeal can wait a bit."

"If you say so. I'm gonna go shower, then. See you later!" She darted off to the bathroom and the click of the lock could be heard.

Genesis gave his head a good-natured shake and walked to the bedroom, opening the closet. He reached behind the clothes and peeled at two of the two-inch wide wood boards paneling the inside. They came off after a moment and he reached inside, coming out with a black case about three inches thick and six feet tall. He set it on the bed and clicked the snaps open, revealing a long, five-and-a-half foot sword with a red blade. He pulled it out and closed the case, setting it back into its hiding spot and concealing it once again. He picked up the sword and made his way down to his car and got in, setting the blade in the passenger seat before taking off.

**(Cloud, 6:11 p.m.)**

'_Fuck… Damn Lucrecia… I'm gonna be late at this point…'_ Cloud ran up the stairs to his home, pulling his shirt off as he went. He grabbed a zip-up vest and tugged it on, leaving his tattoo in plain sight. He traded his slacks for a pair of baggy jeans and then slipped his hand beneath his mattress. He came out holding a bluish-grey scarf and wrapped it around his arm, hiding his tattoo for the time being. He grabbed his keys and ran back downstairs. He got to the garage and sat on Fenrir. The panels on the side opened and he examined the First Ken, the fully assembled version of his swords. He closed the compartments and took off, heading towards the base.

**(Tifa, 6:26 p.m.)**

Tifa slumped down onto the couch, a bowl of triple-chunk chocolate ice cream in her hand. Reno sat down next to her, holding a Wii remote towards her. She set her bowl on the end table and took it from him. She watched as he navigated through the menus until he found his way to the character selection screen. He placed his cursor over Bowser and changed him to his blue and green color. Tifa shook her head, "Goddess, Reno… You have to take the ugliest Bowser, don't you?" She selected Marth and changed him to his black attire.

"Yep. I do it on purpose, you know."

"Just to bother me, right?"

"Yep. And just for your benefit, I'll be Captain Faggot next time."

"Oh, lord… Why they ever gave Falcon a white and pink outfit, I'll never know."

"For people like you, why else?"

She shook her head and took a bite of her ice cream, "Okay. Let's go."

**(Cloud, 6:34 p.m.)**

Cloud sped the whole way to the base, stopping for no one. He made it in a record time of eighteen minutes. He jumped off the bike and ran inside, taking the First Ken with him. He leaned the sword against the wall and found everyone but Vincent already there. Cloud tugged the scarf off of his arm and held it over his nose and mouth, tying a knot behind his neck. He held up the ends and walked over to Jessie, who wore a purple scarf tied similarly, and asked, "Can you help?"

She looked up, "With what?"

"Sephiroth knows my hair. He saw me that night…" his fingers trailed over the scar hidden within his tattoo.

"Alright. Come 'ere." She took the two ends and wrapped them over his hair, hiding it from sight with a turban-like wrap.

Kadaj walked over with a similar turban, except his was grey, "Cloud… I know you hate me. But, please, trust me to watch your back tonight."

The blond snorted, "Why in the hell would I do that?"

The teen sighed, "I was hoping… Well, perhaps after tonight you'll see I just want to help."

"Help who?"

"You guys, of course."

Yuffie wandered over with a hunter-green scarf over her nose and mouth. She sat on the couch and tugged at her knee-high boots, revealing the tattoo of the Hydra on her right foot, the nine heads snaking up to her knee. She sighed and pulled her shuriken off her back, "Where's Cerberus? We're gonna be late."

Biggs walked over, black material over his face, tugging his knuckled gloves on and gave a shrug, "Who knows?"

Cloud felt a tickle on his thigh as his cell phone started vibrating deep in his pocket. He pulled it out, checked the I.D, a habit he'd gotten into after receiving a call from Tifa five times an hour, flipped it open and answered it, "Where are you?"

Vincent's monotonous voice sounded rushed, like he was out of breath, "Hey, kid. Change of plans. I'll meet you at the location."

He furrowed his brows in confusion, "You sure?"

"Yeah. Just make sure everyone else gets there."

"Got it." He snapped the phone shut and looked up at everyone else, "Looks like we're gonna meet him there. Cetus, looks like we'll have to take your car."

The large man nodded, dark yellow scarf shifting, "Let's go." He shouldered an oversized iron mallet and headed towards the door.

Cloud shouldered his oversize sword and addressed the rest of the group, "Hypnos, Hydra, Athena, Prometheus, let's ride."

"Roger," Biggs looked up, touching the tattoo of an elaborate flame on his right bicep, a tradition they all followed before going into combat.

Prometheus. According to Greek mythology, he was a Titan who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals. He was considered to be a champion to humans for this accomplishment. As punishment for his deed, he was bound to a rock where an eagle would eat his liver, only to have it grow back the next day and be eaten again. The thievery represented Biggs's cleverness and quick thinking ability.

"Coming," Jessie picked up her wooden katana and touched the coat-of-arms tattoo on her chest, just below her collarbone, before walking out after him.

"Gotcha!" Yuffie hopped off the couch, leaving her boots behind to keep her tattoo visible. She held her huge shuriken in her left hand, reaching down to stroke each one of the Hydra's heads in turn.

"On it!" Kadaj followed, running his fingers lightly over the mark of the Japanese character for 'Sleep' on the back of his right shoulder.

Cloud climbed into the back of Wedge's pick-up, followed by Biggs and Yuffie as Wedge, Jessie, and Kadaj climbed into the cabin. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and moved to turn it off when it started to buzz in his palm. He sat there, staring at it, until the humming subsided. He went to his missed calls menu and selected the only entry, moving to hit 'delete.' He felt a wave of remorse come over him and pressed the key to listen to the message, sliding the phone beneath his scarf and held the phone as close to his ear as he could to block out the wind. Tifa's voice sounded through the phone, _"Cloud… I… I'm sorry for leaving you all these messages… I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, someday. I'll stop calling you now… I… I just wish we could… find a way to get past this. I love you, Cloud. Good-bye."_

**(Zack, 7:14 p.m.)**

Zack sat in the Pristine Escape, the club where he'd spoken to Lazard over a month ago, waiting for the director of Two Princes to show. She walked in, escorted by the maître d' and took a seat opposite Zack. After receiving a menu and placing an order for a type of wine, she turned to face her company, "Now, then. What was it you wanted to know?"

He looked up at her over the top of his own glass, "Straight to business, huh?"

"Of course. What did you expect, Mr. Fair?"

"I don't know. I guess I thought we'd wait until dinner, at least."

"And just sit here in silence until it comes?"

He let a laugh slip past his lips, "I guess it makes sense when you put it that way."

"So what did you want to know, Mr. Fair?"

"Please, call me Zack. We're not working right now, so I don't see the point."

"Very well. In the same manner, please call me Shelke."

"Alright, Shelke. So… I guess I'm curious about how you got to be a TV director at the age of nineteen."

The waiter came over and handed her her wine, which she gracefully accepted. She took a sip and set her glass on the table, "I graduated from high school at the age of nine, finished a four-year college degree at twelve, and got my Master's at sixteen and got a job offer at the age of seventeen. Since I was still technically a minor, I couldn't officially accept until I was eighteen. So in the meantime, I took an internship to get a little experience in the field."

"Huh… Why go into film work?"

"Why not?"

"Well, it's just… most people who're super smart like that do science stuff."

"So… You're saying I should be like other people and not do what I find interesting?"

He held his hands up in mock defense, "No! Not at all! I was just asking why you went into television…"

She touched a finger to her chin, "Why did you become an actor?"

"Wow… That's a story and a half… Why don't we finish talking about you, then we can get into me."

"Fair enough."

**(Aeris, 7:36 p.m.)**

Aeris sat on the couch in hers and her fiancé's apartment, watching episodes of Two Princes. She tried desperately to distract herself from worrying about Genesis. She gave a sigh, _'I don't really know what he's doing, but that doesn't stop me from worrying…'_

A knock sounded at the door and she jumped up to answer it. She peeked through the peephole on the door and opened it when she recognized the visitor, "Hi, Elena! What brings you out here?"

The blonde gave a small shrug, "I was in the neighborhood… and I figured I'd stop by."

She cocked her head in confusion, "Why?"

"You were moaning all day yesterday about how Genesis was going to be busy, so I thought you'd be lonely."

"Oh… Well, come on in," she stepped to the side to let her friend inside.

"I can't stay. I'm on my way over to work now."

Aeris's eyes widened, "You never told me you worked…!"

Elena clapped a hand over her mouth, "Oops! I mean…"

"Too late! Where do you work? Come on, tell me!"

"Um… I g-gotta go…" she crept backwards, trying for a safe retreat before turning around and running away.

She called down the hall after her friend, "Elena! I'll find out if it's the last thing I do!"

**(Tifa, 7:49 p.m.)**

Tifa sat on her futon, once again playing with the lyrics to Cloud's song. _'Cloud… You…'_ she shook her head, _'I know why you hate me. I just hope you'll let me explain someday.'_ She reached up, pressing her palm to the scar on her shoulder. The door opened and Marlene walked in, biting her lip. Tifa looked up, "What is it, sweetie?"

"Um… I was wondering…"

She raised an eyebrow. If her sister was ever shy about anything, it meant something was wrong. She repeated her original question, "What is it?"

The little girl clasped her hands behind her back, "When's Cloud coming back?"

Tifa felt a twinge in her heart and gave the girl a sad smile, "I don't think he is, Marlene."

The shock in her eyes showed immediately, "You mean… he lied?"

"What do you mean?"

"He said he was gonna live happily ever after with you! That he was gonna make all of us a family!"

Tifa's eyes widened considerably, "When did he say this?"

"Three days ago, when he taught me how to make the flowers look nice."

"Marlene… I…"

She looked up at her sister with wide eyes, "Tifa?"

"It… It's my fault Cloud left. I did something that he didn't like…"

"Why?"

She looked at the girl as she climbed onto the bed next to her, "Hm?"

"Why'd you do it if it was gonna make Cloud mad?"

"I did it before I met Cloud. And I didn't know he'd react that way."

"So… Cloud's the bad guy?"

"I don't think there is a bad guy. Hopefully, Cloud'll come back after he's had some time to think about it."

**(Zack, 8:12 p.m.)**

Zack sat across from Shelke with a glass of wine in his hand. He laughed openly at her attempt at humor, nearly spilling his beverage on a passing waiter. He sat back, rattling off his embarrassing memories from his youth, from his early days as an actor, or some of his favorites from across his personal timeline, sparing no details.

**(Aeris, 8:17 p.m.)**

Aeris hugged her knees, a bowl of popcorn on the couch beside her, watching one of her favorite movies, West Side Story. She sang along with Tony and Maria as they professed their love with the song 'Tonight,' giggling like a maniac. She smiled, imagining the secret smirk Genesis would be giving her if he caught her acting like this.

**(Tifa, 8:23 p.m.)**

Tifa tugged the covers over herself, trying to keep warm in the cold garage. She felt drained, getting started on a world-wide record deal, continuing to raise her sister, waiting on Cloud, and bearing the emotional damage from both the blond and the silver-haired demon of her past. She rolled over, trying to get comfortable, and felt sleep overtake her.

**(Cloud, 8:34 p.m.)**

Cloud jumped forward, crashing his blade over that of the incredibly long katana before him. His blood boiled and eyes narrowed at the silver-haired man before him. Sephiroth swept his sword back, sending the blond backwards. He landed swiftly on his feet, thinking, _'Where the hell is Vincent? He should've shown by now…'_

He took a moment to survey his allies, to see how they fared. Yuffie and Kadaj fought the dark-haired swordsman, whose blade was almost the size of the First Ken. They used their small sizes and speed to their advantage, ducking his sword and slipping in and out of the fray to strike a blow.

Biggs handled his own against one of Sephiroth's cousins, the one with the gun that Kadaj said was named Yazoo, delivering punches and kicks in melee and throwing knives when forced at a distance.

Wedge and Jessie handled his other cousin, this one named Loz, Jessie keeping him busy with her light wooden sword and Wedge attempting to strike with his mallet.

Cloud leapt forward, twisting under the Masamune as it came closer. He rolled to the side and paused, catching his bearings for a minute before jumping back to escape death. His black-leather-clad foe raised his lip in a snarl, "Where is the 'Dog of Hell'? I was so hoping to watch him die today…"

"Cerberus isn't here today. You'll have to settle with me," the blond snarled. He swung at his foe, trying to slice him clean in half. Sephiroth leaped out of the way with ease, landing a good few feet away. Cloud turned his head to follow him with his eyes, confusion filling his gaze when he was nowhere to be found. He jumped back, trying to find some cover, and turned sharply to his side only to be greeted with the feel of cold steel piercing his left thigh. He fell to the ground, glaring upwards at the smug face of Sephiroth. He pulled himself to his feet, struggling against the immense pain in his leg.

He waited, perfectly still, watching Sephiroth watch him. In short, sudden motions, he grabbed one of the side blades from inside the First Ken and threw it at the silver-haired nightmare. He dodged it swiftly, as Cloud had expected, and landed easily only to have the blond lunge forward, aiming the points of the hollow blade and the remainder of the First Ken towards him. The Masamune angled effortlessly and twisted the hollow blade out of his hand. His blood loss got the better of him and he fell to his knees, cursing his weakness. He saw a flash of moonlight reflected off silver metal above him and waited for the pain, forcing all thought of Tifa out of his head. Instead of the pain he'd expected, death felt incredibly like… Incredibly like life. The worst part of it was his leg still hurt like hell. He opened his eyes slowly, only to find he was still in the filthy alley, still bleeding, and still in one piece.

He looked up to see the Masamune caught between the twin blades of the Souba, its owner standing between them, fighting to hold his own. Kadaj pushed back, sending Sephiroth back a few feet. Cloud managed to stand, ignoring the sting in his thigh. He struggled to channel his anger into enough strength to fight. A shout to his left called out, "Fenrir! Watch it!" Yuffie's voice. He jumped back, landing awkwardly because of his left leg, collapsing again. He tugged at his belt, pulling it off and wrapping it around his leg to serve as a tourniquet.

He looked up to see the dark-haired swordsman above him. _'Damn it… At least it wasn't Sephiroth…'_ Everything fell into slow motion as Cloud watched the warrior take a step closer, bringing his blade in with him to strike Cloud across the face. He watched, unwilling to surrender his pride.

A gunshot sounded through the alley as Cloud caught sight of two red flashes. Attempting to register what just happened, Cloud spotted Cerberus hanging onto the edge of a fire escape, his gun of the same name clutched in his right hand, aimed to fire again. He turned to see what had stopped the warrior from killing him, only to find him standing in shock, a man in a red coat standing next to him. The crimson-clad one's shoulders shuddered and he fell to his knees, warm blood soaking the front of his shirt. The dark-haired man reached out to catch him, calling what Cloud could only guess was his name, "Genesis!"

The blond stood and stumbled away, back to his friends in a mutual respect for a fallen friend. He kept his sword in his hand, not expecting Sephiroth to uphold the unspoken law.

The swordsman helped his friend to a lying position, pressing cloth to his wound. Cloud caught their whole conversation from his position a few yards away. Genesis looked up at the dark-haired man, "Angeal…" He coughed, "Please… Take care of Aeris…"

"Genesis, don't talk like that. You're going to live!"

"Angeal… He just missed my heart… If I live through this…"

"Genesis, you idiot… What were you thinking? You were supposed to get married…! I…"

"Do you always think with your head, Angeal?"

"You should've! Goddess…! What am I gonna tell Aeris…?"

"Could you… make sure she gets this…?" his hand disappeared inside his coat and came out with a cream-colored book, now stained red at the edges, and held it towards Angeal.

"This is… Loveless…"

"Yeah… It…" he closed his eyes, grimacing in pain for a moment.

"Genesis… Don't speak. Save your strength…"

"I thought… I was… the sappy one…? I'm… not going to last… You have to… tell her… Make sure Aeris knows… I love her… Make sure she knows…"

"I will."

Cloud looked up to face Vincent, calling out, "Cerberus! Let's get out of here!"

The dark man gave a short nod and leapt off the railing, landing near the rest of his family. Biggs made his way over and grabbed hold of Cloud's arm, acting as a live crutch to his wounded side. Kadaj walked over holding Cloud's lost hollow blade and side blade in his arms, his own sword sheathed on his back. Yuffie ran over, a deep gash on her right arm, and Jessie made her way over to help her stop the bleeding. The seven of them grouped up and headed down to where they'd left Wedge's truck, pausing only to glance back briefly at the man lying on his back just as his eyes fluttered shut.

* * *

Alas… Genesis is no more… Let us have a moment of silence for him… Either that, or bust out the noisemakers and confetti if you didn't like him…

As much as Cloud would love to take credit for writing the poem on his mother's grave, that beautiful piece was written for this purpose (I think) by the talented Deaddude221. Thank you for helping me out!

While I was writing this, I couldn't help but think of that part near the end of West Side Story, when the Jets and the Sharks were getting ready to fight. I think the song is called, 'Quintet,' but feel free to correct me on that.

My poll is still up and still looking for voters… And please review!

-Valk


	12. Chapter XII

Alrighty! Here we have chapter twelve! Lots of stuff going on… Enjoy!

Ohh… *Swoons* Nine reviewers this chapter… I can't believe it! I can't belive this is getting so popular! Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, alerted, and favorite-ed Tangled Web! Thank you so much!

**Epic Popcorn**: I couldn't kill Cloud! At least, not yet. Yes, Aeris watching West Side Story did kind of give away the next step in her life, but it seemed appropriate.

**nUmbskuLL**: Well… I did say that the Cleris has yet to happen and I did promise some Zack/Aeris goodness… It's still anyone's game.

**vx-Luna-xv**: I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! See? It's not as soap opera-y as I made it sound… I guess I didn't have to kill Genny, but it seemed to be a good solution.

**Deaddude221**: Thanks again for writing those lovely poems for me! Sorry! I'll try to update more often! Oh, and Linkin Park makes a nice setting for writing back-alley gang fights.

**g2Luvmeh**: *Swims through sea of confetti* I know you didn't like the Generis, but was all this really necessary?

**Rikku-rebeca**: *Hides bright blush* Ohh… You're so sweet! Is my writing really that good? I think everyone wants to see a CloTi ending, but I won't promise a thing…

**The Lone Wanderer**: You were waiting for Cloud and Zack to meet? Huh… *Scratches head thoughtfully* I'll see if I can fit that in. While I won't be showing Genny's funeral, Zack and Aerith will meet…

**caledon**: *Screws hiding the blush* Yet another new face! It makes my heart swell so! (You're comment certainly helped that…) I don't intend to end to end Reno end Yuffie anytime soon, so there'll be more of them ahead!

**mira ff**: w00t! The fight scene worked! Bow-chika-wow-wow…! *Dances like moron* I don't blame anyone for grinning when Genesis died. I did a little myself ^_^ There I go again :) Oops. I'll stop that now…

Thanks to The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing! I meant what I said back in chapter seven! Check out his fics! His new one, Take a Bow, looks pretty promising… (Hey! Lone Wanderer! Update!)

_**Chapter XII**_

_**Thursday evening…**_

The following takes place between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.

**(Cloud, 9:38 p.m.)**

Cloud sat on one of the three mattresses in their base in his boxers, his pants removed to clean his wound. Biggs sat on the floor by the moth-eaten bed with a piece of Restore Materia in his palm. The blond closed his eyes and laid down, "Damn it…"

"I know. I wanted to see him die, too."

"How is it?"

"Masamune went straight through."

"As if I didn't know that."

"Geez. Let me finish. You're gonna be fine. The Cure spell oughta close the wound, anyway."

He spoke between clenched teeth, "Why don't you find out?"

"Oh, sorry." He held the orb over Cloud's wound and closed his eyes, focusing the spell into the other man's gash. The flesh began to mend slowly under the pale green light of the materia.

Cloud let out a grunt as the pain subsided and twisted to drop his feet over the edge of the mattress, "Where'd my pants get off to?"

The black material slapped him in the face as Biggs threw them at him, "Right there."

"Gee, thanks." He pulled them up, wincing upon standing, and limped his way over to the stained sofa.

Vincent sat on the armrest, perched like a gargoyle statue with his arms crossed over his knees. Cloud dropped onto the cushion right behind him in an effort to stay off his leg. He sighed, "Vincent… You saved my life."

He was silent for a long moment before replying, "I…" he held his hands up to look at them, "killed a man."

"You didn't have a choice."

"I'm no worse than they are."

"The fact that you think that is enough to prove you're not."

He turned slowly to glance over his shoulder, "…What?"

"You're different from them because you're beating yourself up over it. If you weren't, _then _I'd be worried."

He slouched over again, "I killed someone, kid. What do I do now?"

"Only one thing you can do." He slapped the other man on the back, "Stand up straight and forget this ever happened."

"Easy for you to say."

**(Zack, 10:12 p.m.)**

Zack walked into his hotel room with a sigh and dropped down onto his bed. He lay in the silence for a few minutes, waiting. He sat up and looked around, _'Where's Angeal? He always pesters me the second I walk in the door… Oh… That's right… He said he was meeting up with some friends tonight… Forgot about that. Eh, I'll just go to bed… I don't have anything else better to do…'_

**(Aeris, 10:20 p.m.)**

A knock sounded at the door, forcing Aeris awake. She jumped up from her place on the couch, looking around, "Huh?" The knocking persisted and she stood, pulling her bathrobe around her, "Genny, did you lose your key?" She stood on her tiptoes to peer through the peephole, confusion swirling through her mind. She opened the door, "Sorry, Angeal… Genny's out right now."

He stood solemnly, his head bowed and hands holding red material, "I know. I'm… here to talk to you. Can I come in?"

"Uh, sure…" she stepped to the side to let him in, "What's up?"

"You…" he swallowed, "should probably sit."

She moved to sit on the couch, "Angeal… I don't like where this is going…"

He sat down next to her, "Here…" He held out the red fabric for her to take.

She wrapped her small hands around it, immediately recognizing it as Genesis's coat. She felt something hard folded inside, and pulled Loveless out, red stains now decorating the cover. She felt tears well up in her eyes, "No… Angeal… Tell me this is some sick practical joke…"

He averted his gaze, "I'm sorry…"

Her tears fell freely from her sparkling green eyes, "No… No… No… No… No!" She shook her head back and forth, "He promised! He promised he'd come home…! Why!? Why did this…"

He gently moved a hand to wrap around her shoulders as she dropped her forehead to his chest, "I'm sorry…"

"How?"

"What?"

"How did it happen?"

"He… protected a friend. He jumped in the way to save his friend…"

Her shoulders shook with her constant shudders, "Genny…"

"He died… to save me…"

"Where is he?"

"What?"

"I want to see him!"

"…Come with me."

**(Tifa, 10:32 p.m.)**

Tifa woke up with a start to the sound of the front door slamming open. She clambered out of bed and wandered into the kitchen to find Yuffie sitting on the counter and Cloud's friend Jessie shifting through the cabinets, the former hissing, "Not that one! The next one!"

Tifa blinked against the lights, "What are you doing?"

Yuffie froze, "Um… Go back to bed! This is all a dream… When you wake up, none of this will have been real…!"

"Nice try, Yuff, but the door woke me up. You're not getting off this time. What are you doing?"

"Um… I needed a place to clean my cut and my apartment was way out there… Sorry… I didn't mean to wake you…"

"Let me see…" Tifa moved closer and almost passed out on the floor when she saw the gash running down the other girl's arm. She had a shoelace tied around her upper arm acting as a tourniquet.

Jessie came over with a wad of paper towels soaked down with water and three potions in the other hand. She set everything but one cloth down on the counter and moved it next to Yuffie's arm, "Okay, this is gonna sting…"

"Oh, it can't be that ba-AAD!!!" she screamed as the towel made contact with her wound.

"Did I mention there's antiseptic on the rag?"

"No, you did not!"

Tifa pulled herself onto the counter next to Yuffie, "What can I do to help?"

"Hold her down."

"Alright…" Tifa set one hand on Yuffie's shoulder, the other on her free, unwounded arm in an attempt to keep her from hitting Jessie. Intentionally or otherwise.

Yuffie let out a whimper as the cloth touched her cut again, "Please make it stop…"

A new thought occurred to Tifa, "Are you gonna be able to play?"

"I sure as hell better! There's no way I'm missing that!"

"Good." She turned to address Jessie, "Are you almost done? I want to go back to bed…"

**(Cloud, 10:43 p.m.)**

Cloud stumbled inside his home, his left leg sending painful jolts through his body. He managed to get himself upstairs by applying most of his weight to his right leg and balancing carefully on the railings. He struggled to get to his room, wanting nothing more than to fall into bed and sleep. He groaned, falling against the wall when his sister's oh-so-excitable voice called out, "Cloud! You're home!"

He turned, still leaning against the wall, left foot off the floor, "What?"

"Oh, nothing." She seemed to just notice the sword on his back and his awkward position, "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"I don't believe that for a second."

"I tripped on Yuffie's big feet and landed on my sword. Happy?"

"No, I'm not. What really happened?"

"None of your fuckin' business."

"Goddess… I hope you either make up with or forget about Tifa soon… I'm getting really sick of your language."

"Get used to it… I don't see either of those happening anytime soon."

Cloud ignored whatever she said next and stumbled into his room and grabbed hold of his dresser for support. He caught his balance and glared when his eyes focused on the small box resting next to his charging station. Without really meaning to, he reached out and picked it up, keeping himself steady with his other hand. He opened it to find the wolf earring Tifa had given him just days ago. He grit his teeth and closed the case, setting it back on the dresser. He staggered over to his bed and fell on it, cringing when his injured thigh made contact with the queen-size bed that used to be his mother's. Seconds later, sleep overcame his tired body.

**(Aeris, 10:57 p.m.)**

Aeris climbed out of Angeal's sedan and he led her to the door of the dilapidated apartment building. She hugged Genesis's coat more tightly around her body and moved forward, the red leather dragging on the ground a little ways. Angeal walked to a particular door and knocked. Scratching sounded on the other side, and then the click of locks as a man with long silver hair opened the door. Angeal set a hand on Aeris's shoulder, "This is Aeris… Genesis's fiancée. Aeris, this is Sephiroth, a friend of mine and Genesis's from way back."

She nodded slowly, "He," she chocked on her tears, "told me about you."

The tall man's eyes followed her as she walked in, "Likewise."

Angeal led her over to the couch where Genesis lay, coatless and pale. Aeris ran over and dropped to her knees beside him, tears falling freely down her cheeks. She ran a hand over his hair repeatedly, "Genny…"

Angeal sat in the musty chair, rubbing a hand over his mouth and trying not to let his emotions run wild. He looked up, "Sephiroth… Let's give them some time alone."

He nodded, "Very well." He walked back into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

Angeal set a hand on Aeris's shoulder, "I'll be in the car when you're ready…"

She gave a short nod against Genesis's shoulder and choked out, "Okay…" She shuddered against her fiancé's arm, one hand resting in his hair, the other quickly staining red from its place on his still chest. Her body trembled with the overwhelming sorrow that occupied her mind and soul.

* * *

_**Two weeks later… May 22nd**_

_**Friday…**_

The following takes place between 12:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

**(Tifa, 12:35 p.m.)**

Tifa walked through the room with the polished wooden panels for flooring. She mused, _'This is where we'll be performing tomorrow… Cloud… I wanted to perform your song especially for you… I guess this will have to do…'_ She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Yuffie there.

The young girl bit her lip, "Hey, Teef? You gonna be okay to sing tomorrow?"

She feigned confusion, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Reno told me you were blowing chunks this morning… and yesterday, too. You comin' down with something?"

"I'll be fine… Minerva knows I've gone onstage while sick before."

"I suppose…"

"How's your arm?"

"Pft! It's been fine for weeks!"

"You just hurt it two weeks ago yesterday…"

"Oh, fine! But I'll be okay to play!"

"I still don't believe you tripped and fell on glass…"

She waved her hands, almost frantically, "That's what happened!"

"Whatever…" she sighed, "I don't really feel like getting into a Yuffie argument right now…"

"Teef?" she watched her friend walk away, "Huh…"

**(Aeris, 12:48 p.m.)**

Aeris trudged down the stairs of her apartment and dropped into Angeal's car. He looked over at her, "I'm sorry for dragging you down to the studio, but I have to work and I promised Genesis I'd take care of you."

She sniffled, "I'm okay… It's probably a good thing I'm getting out of the house…"

"Mm…" he shifted gears and pulled away from the curb, "Aeris…"

"Hm?"

He shook his head, "Nothing."

"Okay…" she pulled the red coat tighter around her shoulders and settled into the seat, missing the leather smell of Genesis's car.

**(Cloud, 1:31 p.m.)**

Cloud groaned as the buzzing of his cell phone on the nightstand jerked him awake. Keeping his face in his pillow, he grabbed the phone and glanced at the I.D. out of the corner of his eye. He let out a low of moan of annoyance and pushed his face out of the pillow before flipping the phone open and speaking, "What is it, Biggs?"

"Sephiroth is back."

He jumped straight up, "What!?"

"Thought that'd catch your attention."

"Just tell me what the hell is going on already!"

"Why? You gonna crawl through the phone and force it out of me?"

He spoke with warning in his voice, "Biggs…"

He laughed for a bit before stopping abruptly, "Kadaj said he's planning to attack -in public."

"Where?"

"The Sector Four Community Center. Some party or something. He's gonna crash it and kill as much as he can."

"Typical Sephiroth."

"Yeah."

"I'll be at the base in a few. Vincent still a wreck?"

"Yep."

"Damn it… Think we'll be able to hold off Sephiroth and his goonies without him?"

"Well, he is down one member…"

"Doesn't mean he hasn't picked up more since."

"If he has, we're frickin' screwed."

"Yeah." He shook his head, "I'll be there in an hour."

"Got it."

**(Biggs, 1:46 p.m.)**

Biggs snapped his phone shut and turned to face Jessie, who sat on the couch with her teeth clamped firmly around her lower lip. Biggs sighed, "What?"

She twisted a finger through her reddish-brown hair, "Think you should've told him?"

"He'll be fine…" he paused before adding, "I hope."

"Oy… This is gonna get messy."

"Yep."

**(Zack, 2:03 p.m.)**

Zack walked through the halls of the filming studio, running a towel over his hair in attempt to dry it. He opened the door to his dressing room and almost screamed when he caught sight of the small, brown-haired woman sitting on the neat couch. She stayed curled up into a ball, face resting on her knees and shoulders shaking. He walked over to her, shirtless, and sat next to her, "Aeris? What're you doing in my dressing room?" He ran a hand over her back in what he hoped was a comforting motion.

She looked up slowly, "Angeal had to go somewhere and he thought I'd be left alone in here…"

"Angeal? What are you doing with him for?"

"After…" she swallowed, "After Genny… Angeal's been… I guess you could say he's been taking care of me…"

"Oh, yeah… Angeal's good friends with Ge-" he cut himself off, "He told me what happened. I'm sorry."

She sniffed in a failed attempt to keep her nose from running, "I'm okay. Really."

He handed her the tissues from the coffee table, "You're being really strong… I give you full credit for that."

She managed a slight smile, "You think so?"

He wrapped an arm across her shoulders, "I do."

She sank into his side, "I just… I loved him so much… How in Gaia am I supposed to go on without him?"

He swallowed, "'Sometimes, when you least expect it, someone you love gets taken away… Absorbed into the Lifestream. When that happens… The only thing you can do is find a special place in your heart for them and keep them there. Move on, accept new people into your life, but never forget the ones you lost…'"

She looked up at him with wide, tearful eyes, "Zack… That was beautiful…"

He shrugged slightly, "And not my words. That's one of Ty's lines in 'Shattered.' He says it to Scarlet's character after Rufus's meets his untimely demise."

"Oh… What happens after that?"

He hummed in amusement, "You'll see. The premiere is in two weeks."

"Mm…" she settled in against his side again.

He tightened his grip on her shoulder and struggled to keep his emotions in check. He felt her shudder under his grasp as she started to cry again. Unable to fight his heart any longer, he looped his other arm under her knees and lifted her onto his lap, resting his chin on the top of her head.

**(Tifa, 2:34 p.m.)**

Tifa walked out of the building, pulling her tote bag up onto her shoulder as she went. A voice called out from behind her, "Hey, Teef!"

She turned to find Reno walking out behind her, "What's up?"

"Leavin' already?"

"Yeah… I have some shopping to do and then I wanted to see if I could get a nap… Make sure I'm at my best for tomorrow."

"You sure? We're havin' one hell of a party in there…"

"I'll pass, Reno. I just want to sleep."

"If yer sure…"

"I'm sure."

"Hey…" he took a step closer, resting a hand on her shoulder, "How are you doing after the, um, Spiky incident?"

She touched the bracelet on her wrist, unable to bring herself to wear his mother's earrings, "I'm… doing better."

"That's good. Take care of yerself, 'kay? He didn't deserve the glory that is… Tifa Lockhart." He spoke with a fake dramatics, trying to make her laugh.

He received a small chuckle in reply, "Thanks for trying, Reno, but I don't think I'll ever fully get over him."

**(Cloud, 2:41 p.m.)**

Cloud stumbled over to where Vincent lay on one of the mattresses and poked him at the base of his spine. The blond waited for a reaction and dropped down next to him. He rubbed the still-sore spot on his leg and slapped Vincent a few times on the back, "Look, Vincent… It's been two weeks. You gotta crawl out of your self-pity and get with it."

The raven-haired man turned slowly to face him, "Oh, Goddess… I'm getting this lecture from_ you_?"

"What the hell is that supposed mean?"

"That you were a pathetic pile of spikes barking everyone's heads off just three weeks ago."

"Tch!" he stumbled to his feet, "I don't need this. Screw it." He found his way back to the couch and dropped down, waiting for the 'briefing' to start.

Jessie walked over, slipping her phone into her pocket, "Yuffie can't make it. She's busy with-" she caught herself in Cloud's presence and finished, "She's busy with work."

"Alright," Biggs stood up, "Since she's not showing, let's just get started."

Jessie spoke up first, "Okay, all of you guys know what the deal is, right?" After various nods, she continued, "Alright, thanks to Kadaj, we know _he_ is going after the Sector Four Community Center. A band is performing there tomorrow, and, given our resources, I think we can assume that's when he's going to attack."

Wedge spoke up, "Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why can we assume they're attacking then?"

"Um…"

Cloud looked up, piecing the puzzle together, "Because the band is called Seventh Heaven… Am I right?"

**(Zack, 2:52 p.m.)**

Zack held the petite brunette on his lap, stroking her shaking shoulders in an attempt to ease her sorrows. He held her close, knowing in his heart this would be his only chance, or reason, anyway, to do so. He heard the distinct sound of the door opening from behind him but chose to ignore it. Angeal's clearly angry tone sounded, "Zack! What in Minerva's name are you doing!?"

He glanced briefly over his shoulder, and then turned back to the sobbing woman in his arms, "Shut up, Angeal."

"Zack… I thought you knew better."

His grip tightened on the now-curious woman's shoulder, "Look. She was crying. She looked like she needed someone to listen."

Aeris's eyes widened, "You're mad at Zack because of me?"

Angeal sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "I promised him I'd take care of you. Zack doesn't exactly have the best reputation going for him. I was worried, that's all."

She cracked a small smile, "Thanks, Angeal."

He shook his head and mouthed to Zack, _'Hurt her and I'll see to it your career is ruined.'_ At least, that's what Zack thought. It might've been, _'Order me a cheeseburger or your career is ruined.'_ He figured it was the first one. He replied to his agent with a short nod.

He cocked his head, and, just to make sure, called out, "You want fries with that?"

Angeal shot him a confused glance, "I'm sorry?"

'_Guess it's the first one…'_ he shook his head, "Never mind."

**(Angeal, 3:47 p.m.)**

Angeal reached for the doorknob and paused, _'Aeris could probably use some more company… And Goddess know Zack has cheered me up before… I'd never tell him that, but he has. Hmm… Maybe… Ah, what the hell…'_

**(Aeris, 3:54 p.m.)**

Aeris sat on the couch in Zack's dressing room as the owner of it stood in front of her, hands on hips, mocking dark look in his eyes, and said, "Geez, Aeris, I was just trying to tell you the epic story of my big break…"

She laughed harder than she thought possible, "Oh… That dance… What is that? The Chicken-Walk?"

He gave in to his impending laughter, "I have no clue…"

She clutched at her stomach, trying to catch a breath, "I never imagined you got your break over a bet!"

He moved over and dropped down on the couch next to her, "That's the truth of it. I'd wanted to be an actor for as long as I could remember, but I ended up getting my break over something as stupid as that." He turned to face her, "You know, I don't regret any of it."

"That's a good thing… right?"

"Yep. I think so, anyway."

A knock sounded at the door and Angeal let himself in, "Hey, Zack. Something's come up and I have to go… Could you take Aeris home?"

"Uh, sure! No prob!"

He turned to the brunette, "I'm sorry, Aeris."

"It's okay. Zack was just in the middle of telling me about his big break."

Angeal let out a snort, "Now there's a story and a half."

"I know. I'm enjoying it."

"Good. Well, I have to go. See you tomorrow, Aeris."

"'Bye!" She watched him go and turned to Zack, "I should probably get home… I have to get ready for work…"

"Oh!" he scratched the back of his head, "Sure thing!" He dug in the pockets of his jeans and came out with a set of keys, grinning.

She stood, grabbed her backpack and followed him out the door and down the halls until they found their way outside. He led her over to a freshly-polished silver sports car and climbed in, waiting for her to follow. She bit her lip at the memories of Genesis's car, which she still had, and sat down in the passenger seat of Zack's car. She sifted in her seat a little, "Angeal… didn't really have anything to do, did he?"

"Huh?"

"He wanted me to talk… and he saw I was getting along with you, so he sent me home with you…"

"Sounds like something he'd pull."

"Hm…" she hummed her agreement, "Zack…?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you even know where I live?"

"Not a clue."

**(Reno, 4:47 p.m.)**

Reno walked into the front door of his home, desperately yearning for a shower after the party, and moved in the direction of his room. He stopped on his way as he passed the bathroom door when he heard muffled cries from behind the closed door. He silently pressed an ear to the door, confirming his suspicions. He knocked lightly and called, "Teef?"

A stronger burst of tears was his only reply. He cringed, knowing his friend probably needed him, but also fully aware of the fact she was in the bathroom. He swallowed the lump in his throat, "Teef? I'm coming in… Goddess, I hope you're dressed."

He cracked the door open, slightly surprised to find it unlocked, and found Tifa sitting on the edge of the shower-tub wrapped in a towel, damp hair cascading down her back, face resting in her hands as her shoulders shook uncontrollably.

He took a few steps closer, "Teef? What's wrong?"

She said nothing, likely because she couldn't, and moved one hand to point towards the counter. Her visible eye was red, the skin around it glistening from her constant tears, signaling that she'd been crying for awhile.

He watched her for a minute before following her finger. He picked up the small, plastic object on the sink and examined it for a minute. When he finally figured out what it was, his eyes widened and he said the first thing that came to mind, "Oh."

She looked up slowly, "Reno, I'm pregnant. With Cloud's child."

* * *

To caledon: a Cloud, Tifa, Zack, or Aeris plushie of your choice for guessing Tifa's predicament!

To mira ff: You get one of each for catching on way back in chapter eight!

Yay! *Throws confetti* I'm so glad that came out on a somewhat guessable level…!

For the record, I have no idea how long it takes to make a movie or put together a concert, so those two events might seem a little rushed. *Shrugs* Oops.

As always, please review!

-Valk


	13. Chapter XIII

Oy! I am so sorry this took so long…! This chapter would not come out right! I'd write something, rewrite it, change it back, write it again, polish it a little… I'm still not sure it came out the way I wanted it to.

It just occurred to me that this really isn't humorous enough to fall under 'humor,' anymore, so I changed it to 'Romance/Drama.' TW is definitely getting to the drama.

**caledon**: Enjoy the plushie! I honestly have no idea what Ouran is, but I'm guessing it's an anime. Anyway, talk to g2 about borrowing Zack when she's done…

**kitsune13**: Cloud and self pity and lack of consideration to those around him (i.e. Tifa) go hand-in-hand. In hand. I really do love your reviews because you take your time. So, please, don't feel rushed! Also, I'm nothing but glad that you want to beat Cloud with a 2x4.

**vLuna**: Yeah… Poor Tifa… Now she's pregnant with an inconsiderate jack$$'s baby. We can only hope it takes after its mother. By the way, I love the name change! I could never remember which way the 'vx' and the 'xv' went…

**The Lone Wanderer**: Oh, frick. I really didn't mean to spoil that for you… Though I'm glad you approve of the Zack/Aeris interaction. Zack is still Zack, even if he is maturing, so expect more witty banter from him.

**g2Luvmeh**: You still alive…? I guess the excitement hasn't killed you yet. Well, then, here's what happens at the Sector Four Community Center…

**Deaddude221**: Okay, so that's three people who _voiced_ that they knew Teef was pregnant. Anyone else before I hoard all the plushies I ordered?

**Valentine'sNinja**: Man… I'm sorry for killing Genesis (maybe), but I can't please everyone. You still have that pitchfork? Feel free to join kitsune on a Cloud hunt…

**Epic Popcorn**: The Omega Kawaii Cloud Song? I don't think 'Kawaii' belongs in the title, but it was still entertaining. And, no, that's not the song Tifa wrote for Cloud.

**mira ff**: Alas… There is still Cleris on the horizon… You know what? Since I got such a terrible reaction to the Cleris in a different fic (Those of you who have read it know what I mean), I'll make the dosage in this one minimal ^_-

Thank you, Lone Wanderer, for your much-appreciated help this chapter… This one was _so hard_ to write…

_**Chapter XIII**_

_**Saturday…**_

The following takes place between 7:10 a.m. and 12:20 p.m.

**(Tifa, 7:12 a.m.)**

Tifa walked through the backstage area of the Sector Four Community Center, taking care of last-minute preparations before they went on at eight. She sat down on an unused amp in an otherwise empty backroom and set a hand on her stomach, _'I don't know what to do… I'm twenty-two, single, my career is probably ruined once I start to show, and I don't even have parents I can ask for help…'_ Her gaze snapped up as the door opened and Reno walked inside.

He sighed and shook his head, "Thought I'd find you here."

She looked back to her lap, "Reno… I'm scared."

He walked over and sat next to her, dropping an arm over her shoulder, "I don't blame you. I'm pretty sure it goes without saying that I'll help if you need it, right?"

She nodded, "Thanks."

He was silent for a minute, "Hey… You gonna tell him?"

She bit her lip, "He… has a right to know."

"…Hey, Teef?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna ask you something that you sure as hell better have an answer for if Strife asks you. You don't have to tell me, just make sure you have an answer in mind, 'kay?"

"Okay… What is it?"

"Well, suppose he wants to help you raise the kid… Will you let him?"

"I…"

"Like I said, you don't hafta tell me."

"Reno, could you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Could you ask me that as if you were Cloud?"

"…Come again?"

"Could you ask me that as if it was your child?"

"Um…" he scratched the back of his head, "How?"

"Just say, 'I want to help raise our child,' or something. Please?"

"Tifa… As much as I want to help… this is just awkward."

She sighed, "It's okay. Don't worry about it." She moved to stand, "I should probably get ready, anyway."

He swallowed, "Oh, geez… Hey, Teef." He waved a hand uncertainly, "I… want to help raise our kid."

She stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes, "I… want to try. But I have to know you're willing to stay. If not, I…" Her shoulders shuddered as she released a choked sob.

Reno stood next to her and wrapped the emotionally confused woman in his arms, "Hey, you don't have to tell me… But for the record, I like that answer."

**(Cloud, 7:46 a.m.)**

Cloud stood inside the Community Center with Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, and Kadaj. He curled two fingers around his nose to pull his blue scarf down to his neck. He sighed, "I know I should be thankful Yuffie got us in the easy way, but why in the hell would you put me in charge of her?"

Biggs gave a sigh of his own, "Look, that's just the way it turned out. You're our best bet against _him_ and chances are he'll go after Tifa. Now jam all your personal problems to the side and take one for the team."

"Tch… Fine."

"Atta boy, Cloud," Jessie stretched her hand up to ruffle his hair beneath the scarf.

He reached up and snagged her wrist in his tight grip, "Do that again, and I'll kill you myself."

She snapped her arm free, "Geez, don't bite my head off."

Biggs cleared his throat, "Everyone clear on the plan?"

**(Tifa, 8:02 a.m.)**

Tifa stepped onto the stage and up to the mic waiting at the front, smiling as the crowd cheered before her, _'Wow… It's almost a full house and the shows just starting… at eight in the morning, no less.'_

Reno took his place behind the keyboard, Yuffie with her bright red electric guitar with an image of Leviathan snaking along it, and Barret settled in behind the drums. Tifa rested her hands on top of the microphone, pulling it out of the stand and moving to stand beside it, "Good morning, y'all! Everyone ready to rock!?"

The crowd replied with cheering and applause. Reno cleared his throat into his own mic, "I don't think you guys heard her… She said… Are you… ready… to ROCK!?"

The cheering reached a deafening level and Tifa let a smirk show, satisfied. "Alrighty! I call this one 'Dancing Moonlight'…!"

**(Aeris, 8:31 a.m.)**

Aeris rolled out of bed, ready to sock whoever was at her door, knocking like there was no tomorrow. She picked up her bathrobe and tugged it on, wandering through the apartment towards the door. She glanced through the peephole and snapped awake; double-checking to make sure she was seeing properly. She opened the door, "Zack? What are you doing here for?"

He smiled, lowering his sunglasses, "Angeal asked me to pick you up… He said he was busy again and he dragged my ass out of bed to get over here, just to find you weren't even up… Goddess, I hate that man sometimes."

She let out a chuckle, "Come on in… I just have to shower, and we can go."

"Don't forget breakfast! Speaking of which, you wouldn't happen to have some sugar cereal I could swipe, do you?"

"Let me guess… Angeal won't let you eat stuff like that?"

"Yeah… Being famous does have downsides, you know."

"I believe you…" She walked inside and got out a bowl, spoon and a box of cereal, leaving them on the counter for him. She moved towards her bedroom, "Milk's in the fridge. Help yourself."

"Thanks!"

**(Zack, 9:05 a.m.)**

Zack sat at Aeris's table, munching on some marshmallow-heaven while he waited on her. The door to the bathroom opened and she came out, dressed in a pair of jeans with pink flowers embroidered on the left leg and a pink button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She smiled at him in a greeting, and then moved to the bedroom to deposit her towel. She came back out a second later, twisting her long, damp, brown hair into a braid. She pulled out another bowl and spoon and carried them to the table, taking a seat next Zack and pouring herself some cereal before dousing it in milk.

Zack bit his lip, watching her for a moment, "So… I'll make a bet Angeal's probably gonna find ways to force us to spend time together, so you wanna grab some dinner when I'm done today?"

She looked up warily, spoon halfway to her mouth, "You mean… like a date?"

He waved his hands in front of him, "No! Not at all! I just mean as two friends getting dinner!"

She smiled slightly, "You're so much fun to tease."

"Hey! What the hell does that mean?"

"Whatever you want it to."

He smirked, "So, you _do_ want a date? Ow!" He recoiled in shock, rubbing his face where her hand had connected with it. He turned his face to look at her again, staring into her blazing green eyes.

"Don't… _ever_ insinuate something like that _again_…" her fingers clasped around the engagement ring she still wore on her neck.

"I… Oh, crap, Aeris, I'm sorry…"

Her gaze slid downwards, "Just don't do it again…"

**(Tifa, 9:24 a.m.)**

Tifa finished yet another song and waved to the crowd before slipping off the side of the stage. Once out of sight, she broke into a run, reaching one hand up to cover her mouth. She pushed the door to the ladies room open and ran to the first available stall and dropped to her knees, thankful her hair was tied back, and heaved into the toilet. She was barely aware of the door opening and footsteps coming behind her. She threw up again and glanced over her shoulder to find a worried Yuffie standing there. The Wutaian girl reached over and hit the flusher, "Hey… You okay? You gettin' the flu or something?"

Tifa sighed and slumped against the barrier between stalls, "Maybe…" She closed her eyes and leaned back, _'I don't want Yuffie to know just yet… That'd just result in half of Midgar finding out before dinner.'_

"You don't look good… You gonna go home after the show? We can cover for ya…"

"Thanks, Yuffie… I'll let you know how I feel then." She pulled herself to her feet, "Let's go… That wasn't a scheduled break."

"Alrighty!"

'_Cloud… Are you watching…?'_

**(Cloud, 10:27 a.m.)**

Cloud sat perfectly still in the same place he'd been for the last two hours, settled up against the back of a strobe light, out of sight in the darkness of the rafters above the stage. He kept his eyes closed as he listened to Tifa's voice sound through the large, windowless room.

She ended a song and took a deep breath, suddenly sounding very serious and unlike the cheerful pop-star she'd been moments ago. Her clear voice spoke into the mic, giving an introduction for the next song, "I wrote this one especially for someone in just the last few weeks…" Cloud froze, opening his eyes to watch her. She continued, "It's finally done and this is the first time we're ever performing it… It will be included on our debut album when it releases in June. I call it 'Cloud's Song (The Darkness of His Eyes).'" She touched two fingers two her lips and held them high over head in a motion similar to blowing a kiss, "Cloud… I love you and I'm sorry I couldn't give you your 'special' viewing."

Her melodious voice filled the air as she started with a very slow tune, something Cloud knew her band didn't do often, if ever.

"_In summer there's snow…  
__The birds do not fly…  
__The sun doesn't rise…  
__And I'm wondering why…_

_The storm from above  
__Comes crashin' like thunder  
__Flashin' like lightning  
__It dances, it spins…"_

Cloud stared at her, unable to tear his eyes away from her, _'Am I… supposed to be the storm…?'_

"_Causing pain to the world  
__Harm to your cousins  
__Hurt to my heart…!"_

She took a deep, almost unnoticeable, inhale of breath just before she started the chorus. Cloud took his own breath as her voice picked up speed and the music hardened into something he'd come to expect from Seventh Heaven.

"_I saw the pain and agony  
__In the darkness of his eyes  
__I felt the sorrow of his past  
__Under the deep blue sky  
__He told me there was misery  
__What could I do but cry?  
__I couldn't help but see the love  
__In the darkness of his eyes…"_

Cloud listened to her every word, knowing she wrote it to suit him, _'Tifa… Damn it… Why…? You were with him… Do you have any idea what that means to me? He… killed her…'_

"_I tried so hard  
__To please you  
__But passion like this  
__Doesn't come every day  
__Now I'm tellin' you  
__Don't let it slip away…"_

He settled back against the iron beam, hoping Biggs and Jessie would take a little longer to fulfill their part of the plan. He closed his eyes again, losing himself in the song, _'Tifa… Goddess…! Why did it have to be you! Why…? Is it too much to ask, Minerva, that I get one token of good favor in my life?'_

"_You walked in my life  
__I didn't know what to think  
__Your heart let me in  
__It seemed too good  
__I knew I'd find a place…  
__For pain…"_

'_Damn it… Fuck! You're right, Tifa… My heart did let you in… and as much as I want it to, it won't let you out, either…'_

"_I saw the pain and agony  
__In the darkness of his eyes  
__I felt the sorrow of his past  
__Under the deep blue sky  
__He told me there was misery  
__What could I do but cry?  
__I couldn't help but see the love  
__In the darkness of his eyes…"_

He let the melody blur as the music solo started, signaling a good chunk of time before her voice started again. He bit down on his lip as his memories flooded back, _'Tifa… Sephiroth… He killed my mother… Yuffie told me he hurt you, but I can't just… let it go… You know? I mean… You blamed your sister for your mother's death, but somehow I doubt Sephiroth would be a teddy bear if given a chance.'_

"_I got my wish  
__I found a man  
__One who's strong  
__And he don't give a damn_

_I found love  
__What's left to find?  
__Happiness  
__It's been lost in time…"_

'_Truer words have never been spoken… Happiness is gone forever. At least for me. I don't think I can ever forget the horrors he's put me through. Between my mom and Vincent's brothers… I don't think we'll ever forget.'_

"_Oh, I felt the pain and agony  
__When I looked into his eyes  
__He told me all about his past  
__Under the deep blue sky  
__He showed me all the misery  
__What could I do but cry?  
__I couldn't help but see the love  
__In the darkness of his eyes…"_

The image of Tifa's scar across her chest flashed into his mind for a brief moment. He let his memories wander, focusing on her. His eyes widened with realization, _'Tifa… You… Sephiroth… hurt you, didn't he…? I… guess I… Oh, fuck…Tifa, you… you've hated him for a long time, haven't you? Oh, fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck… I just… I screwed up big-time… I… Oh, Goddess…'_ he dropped his head to his knees, _'I'm such a fucking idiot! Goddess! How could I have missed that! I mean, _Yuffie_ knew it… How in Gaia can I ever make it up to you…?'_

"_I saw the pain and agony  
__In the darkness of his eyes  
__I felt the sorrow of his past  
__Under the deep blue sky  
__He told me there was misery  
__What could I do but cry?  
__I couldn't help but see the love  
__In the darkness of his eyes_

_Ohh… In the darkness of his eyes…"_

'_I love you, Tifa…'_

Then everything went black.

**(Tifa, 10:34 a.m.)**

Tifa finished the last line of her song for Cloud and reached up to brush away the tear on her cheek. She let out a startled cry when the power suddenly shut down. She heard a low 'thud' in the darkness, followed by a hand grabbing her wrist and pulling. The microphone fell to the ground as the sturdy grip tugged her off the stage. She fought it, twisting her wrist to free it and asked, "Reno?"

A low grunt masked with a Junon accent was her reply, "No."

"Who are you? Are you with Sephiroth?"

"No."

"Can you say anything other than 'no'?"

"This way. Be quiet. He's searching for you."

"Who?"

"Sephiroth."

"What!?" Tifa almost shrieked.

"Come with me if you want to survive," the man said, hushing her.

"Who _are_ you?"

"I'm a member of a group known as Operation: Hades. We are the lone defense against every crime Sephiroth tries to commit."

"Operation… Hades?"

"Yes. In here."

She felt herself get pushed inside a small room and the door shut, a lock clicking into place shortly afterwards. She pounded her fists on the door, "Hey! Let me out!"

His husky voice sounded from the other side, "You'd better be quiet if you don't want a repeat event."

Her reply came out breathy, "What…?" She stayed quiet, waiting for him to say something, but the only response she received was the sound of his footsteps lightly treading away.

**(Cloud, 10:43 a.m.)**

Cloud shut the closet door and set his palm flat against it before turning and darting off with near-silent footsteps. _'At least she's safe now… That's all that matters…'_ his heart felt unnaturally heavy after his latest revelation. He jogged lightly though the various halls, the Mako in his bloodstream giving him a heightened sense of night-vision. He wandered through the halls of the Community Center, trying to find his way back to the stage.

He skidded to a halt, only to be greeted with the silver flash of the Masamune. He dropped into a backwards somersault, landing a few feet back from the shattered floor boards of the stage. His thoughts dissipated as he fell into focus for the fight. He whipped the First Tsurugi off his back, choosing the lighter mobility of just the main blade over that of the whole thing. He held the sword in a backhand position in front of him, opting for a defensive stance. The Masamune came closer, its wielder visible only because of Cloud's enhanced eyesight, and he flipped his blade to a forward motion, blocking the strike in the process.

All of a sudden, the lights clicked back on, temporarily blinding the two of them. Cloud raised one hand in an attempt to shield his eyes, keeping his attention on Sephiroth. The silver-haired man caught sight of the building security and smirked at Cloud before dashing off the stage and towards the back door.

Even though his hair and face were concealed by his scarf, he decided to play it safe and tugged the navy blue handkerchief from his back pocket and tied it over his tattoo in an effort to hide it, making a break for the back doors himself. He passed the door where Tifa was hiding against her will and paused. He shook his head, _'Not now, Strife.'_ He ran the rest of the way to the doors, slowing only to keep himself from slipping on the rugs.

**(Zack, 11:12 a.m.)**

Zack walked into the studio, dressed in jeans and a Teioh t-shirt. He ran a hand through his hair and walked over to the director, "Hey, Ms. Rui? Do you mind if my friend Aeris watches today?"

The teenage girl scooted forward in her fold-out seat, "As long as she doesn't cause any problems, it should be fine."

"Great! Thanks!" He waved over his shoulder and ran back to where Aeris waited. He grinned at the brunette, "The director said she didn't mind! Pull up a seat and watch the magic!"

She let out a small giggle, fingers still clutching her engagement ring, "Thanks, Zack. I… I needed to get out of our…" she sighed, "_my_ apartment. Thanks for letting me watch you film."

He waved a hand in front of his face, "Pft! No prob, Aeris! We're friends, right?"

She smiled weakly, "Yeah… Friends…"

"Yeah! …Right?"

"Yeah!" She punched him playfully on the shoulder, "No go break a leg, Tiger!"

He grinned and offered a playful salute, "Yes, Ma'am!" He walked off towards the set, _'Tiger…?'_

**(Tifa, 11:23 a.m.)**

After all the chaos at the Sector Four Community Center, Tifa sat on the floor near Yuffie, just recently rescued from her closet prison. She leaned her head back against the wall, "Do you think they'll sue me…?"

The guitarist looked down at her, "Why? You couldn't help getting sick…"

"That equipment was pretty expensive-looking, though… That perfumey smell in that closet… It still makes me want to puke."

"Tifa, you wear perfume."

"I know… But lately, it just makes me sick."

She dropped down to a squat to watch her friend, "Tifa… You don't think you're…"

She turned slowly to look her friend in the eye, "I'm… what?"

"You don't think you're…"she swallowed, voice dropping to a whisper, "pregnant, do you?"

Her head fell back against the wall, raising a hand in mock cheering, "Give the girl a prize."

"Whaaaat…!" Yuffie quickly turned from shock to delight, squealing, "Tifa! Is it Cloud's?"

She nodded slowly, "What kind of whore do you think I am? Of course it's his."

"Oh, my goddess! Does he know?"

"No…"

"Well, why not!?"

"I'm going to tell him, Yuffie. I just need time. You better not go off and tell him, either."

"Oh, fine… But you better tell him soon! You know how I am with secrets."

"Yes, I do. But, please, Yuffie. You can't say a word to him. Promise me."

"But, Tifa…"

"_Promise me._"

"Oh, fine! I promise. I won't say a word to Cloud. But please tell me when you tell him so I don't have to worry anymore…"

"Fine."

**(Aeris, 11:43 a.m.)**

Aeris sat on the side of the set, an exclusive guest pass hanging around her neck, watching Zack play the part of Jonas Prince. The director leaned forward in her seat, calling into a megaphone, "Cut! We'll break here for lunch. I want everyone back in an hour!"

Zack jogged over, "Yes, Ma'am!"

Aeris watched as the dark-haired actor made his way over to her, grabbing a towel from a stagehand and wiping his face. She giggled, "I'm assuming you want to get lunch?"

"Sure! Where to?"

"I don't know… I haven't been out to eat in this area. What's around here?"

He touched an index finger to his chin, exaggerating his thought, before snapping his fingers, "There's a great café just down the street! Wanna go?"

"Uh, sure!"

"Great! I just need to get changed… Can't exactly risk slopping on my costume."

"Alright. I'll wait by the elevator."

He walked off, waving over his shoulder, saying cheerfully, "See you in a few!"

She walked over to the elevator and sat down sideways on the bench beside the fountain and looked over the back. She stared at it, vaguely wondering how much power it took to pump the water on the ninth floor of the complex. She felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped, finding Zack sprawled out on the bench behind her.

He grinned and gave her a thumbs up, "You ready?"

She blinked, "You changed fast…" she said, trailing off as she muttered to herself.

"Heh. Two Princes uses some very simple costumes. Usually just jeans and t-shirts." He stood up, extending a hand to her, "Come on, let's go eat."

She accepted his gesture and felt herself get pulled to her feet. She looked at him expectantly, "I'm following you."

He grinned again, "Right this way, milady."

She laughed, "As you command, milord."

**(Lucrecia, 12:03 p.m.)**

Lucrecia sat at the kitchen table, organizing her class for Monday, when Cloud trudged up the stairs to their home, depositing his sword against the wall and dropped down on the couch. She blinked, surprised by his silence, and asked, "Cloud? What's up?"

He grabbed the remote to the TV, turned it on, and grunted a reply, "Eh…"

She raised an eyebrow at this, "Cloud?"

"Eh…"

She stood up, ready to go find out what was wrong, when the phone rang. She detoured to pick it up, "Hello?"

"Lucrecia? Is Cloud there?"

"I'm sorry… Who is this?"

"Sorry. This is Cloud's friend, Biggs."

"Out of curiosity… Did something happen to Cloud? To get him depressed?"

"What, were you frozen in a rock for thirty years? He broke up with Tifa and he's been cranky all over our butts for the last three weeks."

She let out a small, pathetic chuckle and said, "No, this is different. Before, he'd just say snarky stuff. Now he's not saying anything. Just staring at the TV, grunting vague responses to everything I say."

"Huh… He was grumpy this morning."

"Oh… Hang on. Let me try something." She kept the phone to her ear and walked over, pressing the power button on the TV and watched Cloud's reaction. As she slightly expected, he didn't move. Didn't blink. Didn't say a word. Luc turned her attention back to the phone, "Yup, he's gone."

"What d'you mean?"

"I just turned off the TV and he didn't budge. Think you could get Vincent to come over and see what's wrong?"

"I doubt it. Vincent's been depressed lately, too."

"Mm…"

"Oh… Shit."

"What?"

"I think I might know why Cloud's so dead today…"

"Why?"

"I think he… probably saw Tifa today."

"Oh."

* * *

Heh. Lucrecia humor. Frozen in a rock for thirty years…? Heh. Okay, fine! It wasn't that funny! Geez!

Believe it or not, the song wasn't the hard part to write. I had that written at least three chapters ago… It was fun to write and I hope you guys liked it… My first attempt at writing something… poetic? I guess.

Anyway, lots of Cloud and Tifa in this chapter… Sorry to those of you who wanted more Zack/Aeris. Hurray! Cloud's side of the break-up! Do you still think he's such an ass? I do, but that's beside the point ^_^

Please review!

-Valk


	14. Chapter XIV

Now, I forgot to mention it last chapter, but I've started school now, so updates will be much more scarce from here on out… I have absolutely no intention of giving up on this fic, so I _will_ be updating it, just a lot less often :P

Wow! So many reviewers! I'm so glad to have everyone along! And I'm ESPECIALLY glad that Cloud's Song went over so well. That was the first real song I ever wrote, so I'm really glad it worked and fit with the scene. Thanks to everyone who let me know!

**g2Luvmeh**: Nope, no Vinny. He'll show up… eventually.

**Epic Popcorn**: You mean you actually imagined it happening? Like, you actually took time out of your real life to consider my story? Geezums… I don't know what to say…

**The Lone Wanderer**: Closed-minded idiot? I can accept that. Hey! Everyone! That's the new term for Cloud. I think he's dropped below 'ass' at this point, so 'closed-minded idiot' is taking over. Any complaints, take it upstairs.

**vLuna**: So, what's my next lesson, Master?

**mira ff**: Pfft! You don't give yourself enough credit! You have no idea how cheesy 'Cloud's Song (The Darkness of His Eyes)' sounded to me…

**ohsnapples**: *Hides wooden oar behind back* Mmm… Yeeeah… You said _who_ needed to be punished? Cloud? Oops… My bad. Well, like I said, Vincent won't be back for awhile…

**Valentine'sNinja**: Oh, well. I guess Tifa can have the honors now. Cloud's _spawn?_ Must you word it so… disrespectfully? Unborn babies have feelings, too…

**caledon**: Allow me to assure everyone once more. The Cleris will be light-hearted and nothing… steamy… will happen between the two. Understood?

**zackfairfan**: Unfortunately, school will likely rule my life for awhile. I only have three days of classes, so as long as my homework load stays light…

**mom calling**: I always get this happy feeling when people say they're rereading my stories… I just can't express how much it means to me that my stories have that reaction on people. Although, you said you were going to reread to make sense of things…

**Deaddude221**: Yeah, well, you got an earful in my review reply, so I'll keep this short. Yep. Aeris is still touchy-feely about couple stuff. Who wouldn't be after losing their fiancé?

**Truth-Unspoken**: Glad you could come along! What's a tangled web without some elaborate weaving?

**DeeJay-Dubu**: Yay! Another new face! I will say at _least_ one person gets a happy ending *winks*

Nice changes, Wanderer! (It's getting to be a pain to write your full name every time…) Having a beta really pays off!

_**Chapter XIV**_

_**Sunday…**_

The following takes place between 9:10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

**(Cloud, 9:14 a.m.)**

Cloud walked out of the greenhouse, holding a cardboard box full of flowers in biodegradable pots. He walked out to the shop, pausing to address his sister watching the desk, "Hey, Luc? You mind watching the store for a couple hours?"

She looked up, "Huh? How come?"

"A friend asked me to help plant some flowers…"

"Can't you do that when the shop isn't open?"

"She wanted to plant them by a grave… The cemetery's closed after hours."

"Oh… Alright, fine. I'll handle the shop. But come back quick. I need to set up my class for tomorrow."

"Fine. Wedge is on his way here to give me a lift. I'll leave as soon as he gets here."

"Alright."

He gave a little wave with one hand, holding the box with the other, and walked back to the small hallway connecting the shop, greenhouse, and upper level. He set the flowers down on the bench and sat beside the box, staring out the window and waiting for his friend to arrive.

**(Zack, 9:43 a.m.)**

Zack lay in bed, staring at the crimson-colored ceiling above him with his head resting on his arms. For once in his scatterbrained life, he was concerned about where his life was headed. Angeal was out and the director didn't want to start filming until three, so he had all morning to himself. He pressed his head back into the pillows, _'Damn… Aeris, I don't know how much longer I can take this… I've never felt like this around a woman before…'_

He let out a frustrated groan and rolled over, burying his nose in the soft white linens. He pushed himself out of bed and caught sight of the photograph tucked into the edge of a picture frame in his private hotel suite. A smirk crossed his features, _'Wonder how that turned out…? Maybe I should go find out…'_

**(Aeris, 10:07 a.m.)**

Aeris climbed out of the passenger seat of the convertible and looked at the man in the driver's seat. She bit her lip uncertainly, "Um… Thank you, Cloud… For doing this for me."

He popped the trunk and pulled the flowers out, "It's no problem. You've been good to us at the Lucky Girl… It's the least I could do."

She could've sworn she'd seen something else twinge across his face for a moment. Pain? Remorse? Sadness? She wasn't sure. She might not have seen anything at all, so brushed her thoughts aside and led the blond to her beloved fiancé's grave. She knelt down before it in a quiet greeting, keeping her hands folded in her lap. He stood behind her, silent, not wanting to interrupt her thoughts.

She opened her eyes and read the stone in quiet remembrance, _"Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return. To become the dew that quenches the land, to spare the sands, the seas, the skies, I offer thee this silent sacrifice."_

Almost uncertainly, her silent companion spoke, "That's 'Loveless,' isn't it? An ex-girlfriend of mine dragged me to the play back when I was in college. It sounds a little familiar."

She nodded slowly, "Mm-hm… Genny loved the poem… He liked the play, too, but he always kept a copy of the book on hand… He was always coming up with theories for the last act. Before…" she swallowed, "Before the stone was cut, I found some of his notes where he wrote his own ending."

"Is that what's on the stone?"

She bit her lip, "Yeah… He…"

He nodded once, "I understand." He set the box on the ground, "Should we get started?"

"Um, sure…"

**(Tifa, 10:25 a.m.)**

Tifa hummed the final notes and watched as the 'recording' light above the glass window clicked off. She slid her headphones down to her neck and walked out of the recording booth. She stepped into the next door over where a man sat behind the master control board. He looked up with a grin, "Great job, Tifa! I think we're about done with that one!"

She returned his smile with a weak one, "Thanks... You know where Shalua got off to?"

"I think she's in the break room... Might want to catch her while you can. She said she was meeting her boyfriend later."

"Thanks, Johnny. I'll keep that in mind." She ducked out of the small room after dropping her headphones on the desk and made her way to the break room. She walked through the doors of the room that looked like a miniature cyber-café, complete with a red-and-white checked tile floor and bright green plastic chairs. She got herself a mug of cocoa before sitting down in the yellow papasan near where Shalua sat, a cup of coffee sitting in front of her while she talked on her cell phone.

Tifa waited for the other woman to hang up before speaking, "Shalua?"

The redhead looked over, having just noticing her Tifa's arrival on her blind side, "Yes? What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering..." She took a deep breath, "Could I have the afternoon off? I have some... personal... problems I need to take care of..."

"Of course. I was taking some time off myself... It wouldn't hurt for all of us to get some time away from here for a bit."

"Thanks. I better get back... Get as much done as I can before I head out..."

**(Aeris, 10:48 a.m.)**

Aeris sat down in the small fast-food joint after setting the cheap plastic tray down. She took a sip of her milkshake and looked at the blond sitting across from her, "Um, thank you... For doing that for Genny. I know he'll love the flowers..."

Cloud shook his head, "Don't worry about it. I'm glad to help. It's not too often a florist's skills come in handy."

She managed a weak smile, "Can I... ask you a question?"

He looked up, focusing his unnaturally bright eyes on the brunette's green ones, "...What?"

"Do you think...? It's possible to love again after losing?"

"Lose how?"

She shot him a blank look, "Huh?"

"I mean, as far as death goes...? Or like you made a mistake and there's no way in hell you'll ever be able to make it up to the one person you really loved?"

She blinked for a moment, taking a guess they weren't just talking about her anymore, "Um... I guess... in this case... death."

He slumped down in the cheap plastic chair for a moment, "I suppose... I mean, if the guy really loved you, wouldn't he want for you to be happy?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you fall in love again, shouldn't your first boyfriend be happy that you found someone else to make you happy?

"I... suppose... But I can't help but feel like I'm cheating on him..."

He shrugged, "My guess is that feeling'll go away eventually."

"What about you?"

"Hm?"

"That example you gave seemed a little in-depth to be off the top of your head. You... lost someone, too, didn't you?"

He nodded slowly, "Yeah."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really..."

"I'm here if you ever want to talk."

"Thanks."

She cracked a small smile, "You know... There was a time I thought about asking you out."

He looked back up at her gaze, "Really?"

She hummed around her straw, "Mm-hm."

"Huh... The feeling's mutual."

"Really?"

"Yeah... No offense, but that's in the past."

"That's fine." She smiled a little more openly, "That feeling is mutual, too."

"Mm."

**(Cloud, 11:36 a.m.)**

Cloud walked in the door of his house and dropped the now-empty box in the greenhouse before going upstairs. He changed his clothes out of his slightly more formal attire he'd donned for the cemetery before going back downstairs to relieve his sister of the shop. He nodded a greeting to the too-happy brunette, "If you want to go take care of your class, I can handle the shop now."

She smiled, notebooks spread over the counter in front of her, "Thanks, Cloud, but we're only open a half-day since its Sunday... And I seem to have found a rhythm sorting my assignments here. You go get cleaned up." She nodded towards his dirty hands and filthy spots on his clothes where he'd pulled them on.

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sure. Whatever. I guess I'll go grab a shower and watch a movie."

She smiled, "Have fun!"

He glared at her cheerfulness before trudging up the stairs to follow through with his plans.

**(Tifa, 11:49 a.m.)**

Tifa walked through the halls of the recording studio, fiddling with her keys as she made her way to the elevator. She pressed the 'down' button and waited, keeping her eyes down and her teeth firmly on her lower lip. The elevator doors slid open and she moved forward, pausing when she realized someone was getting off. She stepped back, "I'm sorry..."

"Tifa?"

She looked up to find herself face-to-face with... "Zack...?" She looked at the other man and dropped into a ready stance, "If you don't get the hell away from this place, I'll..."

He extended his hands, "Easy. I'm good about separating business and-"

"And what? Pleasure? Seriously, Angeal, what were you thinking, coming here?"

The tall man sighed, "I was thinking I was going to meet my girlfriend and take her out for lunch..."

Zack raised his hands, "Wait. You two know each other?"

Tifa didn't take her eyes off Angeal as she said, "Oh, yeah... Angeal and I go way back, don't we?"

"Wait a minute," Zack turned to the other man, "Were you two...? You know... together? Is that why you said those things about her?"

"What did Angeal say about me?"

"He said you used to be in a gang... And it was a pretty rough group, too."

"Did he now...? Well, Zack," she turned her full attention on him, suddenly reenergized, "let me clear it up for you. Yes, I was in a gang; yes, they were tough people; and, before you ask, yes, Angeal was among them. As far as I know, he still is."

The actor slowly turned to face him, "Is that true, Angeal?"

The other man released a slow sigh, "Yes, Zack. It is."

A realization struck Tifa like a lightning bolt, "Wait... Why were you asking Angeal about me if you didn't know we knew each other?"

Zack froze, scratching the back of his head, "Um..."

She narrowed her eyes, "You did a background search on me, didn't you? You had your lackey go and dig up all the dirt on me so you wouldn't have any surprises..." She touched a hand to her forehead, "I can't believe I let you lead me on like that..."

Zack started to say something, but she ignored him and dashed into the elevator, jamming the button for the main floor. She leaned back against the wall and tried to push that conversation out of her mind, focusing on her goal of the day.

**(Zack, 12:04 p.m.)**

"Wait, Tifa! That's not-!" Zack called after the fleeing brunette, cutting off when the elevator doors closed in his face. He turned to face Angeal slowly, "Why didn't you tell me?"

He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, "What could I have said? 'Oh, yeah, and Zack? I'm in a gang one of my best friend's started and I'm only in it still because my friend is relying on me.' Would that have worked?"

"I don't know, Angeal!" He threw his hands in the air, "I trusted you! You were like a brother to me!"

"It'd be wise for me to quit as your agent, then. The last man who said that to me..."

Zack froze, "Wait... Aeris's fiancé... He... did he die fighting for that gang?"

"Zack, it's not as simple as that-"

"You know what, Angeal? Stuff it. I don't give a damn what you say. Aeris is suffering. She's been crying her eyes out day and night, praying for that guy to walk through her door, hoping it was just some, sick, freakish nightmare... And you were just fighting for _sport_!?"

"Zack... I didn't want Genesis to die. Aeris isn't the only one mourning his loss."

"Never mind," he turned back to the elevator, visibly steaming as the doors slid open.

Angeal watched him get on, "Where are you going?"

"To get some lunch and check on Aeris."

**(Aeris, 12:51 p.m.)**

Aeris sat in her apartment, numbly flipping through the book to accompany the play to 'Loveless.' When she came to the part where the 'prisoner' and his lover were separating, she blinked to keep the tears at bay. Failing, she watched with limited vision as fat droplets spattered against the pages. She looked up towards the window, _'Genny... Are you happy? Are you safe? I really did -do- love you... Help me make the right choice...'_ She dropped her head to the armrest of the couch and curled her legs against her shaking body as her shudders became more violent.

**(Tifa, 1:32 p.m.)**

Tifa sat on the couch in her living room, one hand resting on her stomach, the other nervously stroking her pearly cell phone. She sighed, bit her lip, and flipped it open. She scrolled through the menus and stopped, hesitating once again. She worked up the courage and pressed 'send' over the listing, 'Cloud (Home).'

**(Cloud, 1:39 p.m.)**

Cloud sat on the couch in his living room, blankly watching some movie that he still hadn't registered. His sister sat at the table on the kitchen side, quietly organizing her plans for the next day's class. The phone started to ring and Cloud made no move to answer it. He heard the scuffle of the kitchen chair sliding back on the tile and his sister's footsteps cross over to where the phone was. She picked it up and greeted, "Hello!" She was silent for a moment as the person on the other end spoke.

Cloud called back over his shoulder, "If it's Tifa, I'm not home."

His sister smiled against the receiver, "Yep! He's right here. Just a second." She walked over and held the phone down next to him.

He glanced up at her, "Who is it?"

"Tifa."

"What the-! I told you-!"

She brought the phone back to her ear, "Hang on a second." She turned back to her brother, holding the phone to her shoulder, "I don't care, Cloud. I'm getting sick of your sorry-ass attitude and the only way that's going to change is if the two of you talk it over."

"Luc…" His eyes narrowed dangerously, "Can't you back me just once?"

"I've backed your pathetic hide for the last two-and-a-half weeks. I'm done. Now here. Talk," she handed him the phone.

His gaze didn't soften as he took it, stood, and wandered to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He dropped onto his bed and hesitantly brought the phone to his ear, "…Yeah?"

"Um, hi, Cloud…" Her voice sounded beautiful despite the impending sadness. Sadness he had caused. "I know you probably don't want to talk to me, and I know I said I wouldn't call anymore, but…"

He closed his eyes, determined not to lose it, "…But…?"

"But… something's changed… Can we talk?"

Confusion forced him to pause for a moment, "Aren't we already?"

"I meant in person. There's something I have to tell you face-to-face."

He swallowed, a foreboding feeling consuming his instincts, "Where?"

"In the park in Sector Six… Under the tree."

"Half an hour?"

"Okay…"

"See you then."

"Thank you, Cloud… Bye…"

He held the phone to his ear, waiting for the dial tone to fill his hearing. He stood up, stuffed his wallet in his pocket and went to the kitchen, dropping the phone on the kitchen table. His sister looked up with a start at the sound, "What's up?"

"I'm leaving. I don't know when I'll be back." He walked towards the door, waving over his shoulder, "See you later."

**(Zack, 1:54 p.m.)**

Zack pushed the door to his Gabbiani open and climbed out, grabbing the bag of Wutaian take-out from the seat next to him. He walked into the building and made his way to the second floor, knocking on the door to his destination. After a long moment, he raised his fist to knock again just as the door creaked open. The small brunette smiled weakly, "Hey, Zack... What brings you here?"

He held the plastic bag up, "Lunch. Did you already eat?"

"I stopped for a burger earlier, but I wouldn't say no to some noodles..."

He grinned, "Great! Let's eat!"

She stepped back to let him in before moving to the kitchen to get plates. She set two on the table and he stared blankly at them for a moment. She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, "What?"

"What's the fun in eating Wutaian take-out if you don't eat it out of the carton?"

"I can't use chopsticks... I found that out a _long_ time ago."

"You don't have to use the chopsticks. You can use a fork if you want, as long as you eat out of the carton."

"Okay." She picked up the plates and put them away, "I'll try it. But I am using a fork."

"That's cool." He laughed, "Let's not try too many new things at once."

**(Tifa, 2:01 p.m.)**

Tifa sat in the passenger seat of Reno's taxi, staring blankly out the window at the gentle downpour. The taxi came to a stop at the curb outside the small park and she moved to get out, pausing when Reno touched her arm. He looked at her, "Want me to go with you and beat some sense into him?"

She managed a strangled chuckle, "No, thanks, Reno. That won't be necessary... Despite everything, he's still the father of my child."

"I know. But let me know if you change your mind."

"Mm... I should probably go..."

"Good luck, Teefs. Be careful."

"Even though I was with Sephiroth, I don't think Cloud would hurt me..." After receiving a doubtful look from Reno, she finished, "...physically."

He sighed, "Alright. I'll circle around and come back in a little bit for you."

"Thanks." She pushed the door open and stood, making her way to the gate of the park. She froze, attempting to collect herself when she spotted the blond leaning against 'their' tree.

**(Cloud, 2:06 p.m.)**

Cloud looked up from his reverie at the sound of footsteps through the damp grass. He felt his throat go dry as Tifa moved ever closer, coming to a stop five feet away. He felt his heart begin race and willed it to slow, trying to keep a cool head for whatever she wanted to say. She took a half step closer, extending a hand towards him, "Um, I... I know you probably don't want to see me, but I..." She moved her hand to her chest, balling it into a fist, "I have something to tell you."

'_And there's something I want -no, _need_- to tell you.'_ He pushed himself off of the tree where he'd been leaning, "...What is it?"

"I..." He watched, heart twisting, as her shoulders began to shake a little. "I... Oh, Goddess..." she dropped down to her knees as her tears began to slip down her cheeks.

He bent down to her level, keeping his distance, "Teef? Are you okay?" He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, _'That was a dumb question, Strife. She's only crying her eyes out in right front of you and you don't even try to comfort her! Why don't you ask if _you're_ alright? But, clearly, you're not.'_

She slowly pushed herself back to her feet and, even with the rain, he could still see her tears running slowly down her cheeks. He stood with her and watched her semi-patiently. She sniffed to keep her nose from running and shuddered once before speaking again, "Cloud, I..." She swallowed, "I'm pregnant."

He felt his jaw drop open and stared for a good, long moment before he managed to stutter, "Wha...?" He shook his head, willing his voice to work, this time getting out, "Say what?"

She sniffed again, "I'm pregnant, Cloud. And, before you ask, yes, it's yours."

He fell back against the tree, bark digging into his back, "You... I..." He blinked and forced a question out of his jumbled thoughts, "How long?"

She raised her eyes to his, "Hm?"

"How long... have you been...?"

She nodded, understanding, "Almost two months..."

He closed his eyes, doing some quick math in his head, and spoke, "I guess Minerva didn't want us to forget that first night, huh?"

She dug her toe into the soft dirt, "I guess so."

Cloud licked his suddenly-dry lips, _'I'm... gonna be a father...? That... that's not right...'_

"So, where does this leave us?"

'_It can't be..._' He looked up, just realizing she said something, "What?"

"I said, where does that leave us?"

"Could I... have some time to... to think about this? Let it settle in?" His heart betrayed his mind, shouting, _'What? C'mon, Strife! That's not what you wanted to say! You were gonna fall to your knees and beg for her forgiveness, remember?'_

She nodded once, "Of course. Take your time..." She set a hand on her stomach, "There's still at least seven more months..."

He stayed where he was, back against the tree, staring into the distance. Finally realizing she was still standing there, he asked, "How long have you known?"

"Since Friday. The morning sickness started the day before."

"I guess we both need some time to figure it, out, huh?" He watched her nod her reply before drifting off again, _'Friday...That was before the show... before Sephiroth tried to...'_ A new anger consumed his soul, _'She was...when... If Sephiroth had succeeded... he would've killed the baby, too... My... baby...'_

**(Tifa, 2:14 p.m.)**

Tifa raised her gaze back to his for a brief moment before speaking, "Cloud…?"

He blinked, "Yeah?"

"Can I…? Will you at least let me explain?"

He stared straight ahead, his eyes showing that he knew what she was talking about, "…I don't have anywhere to be."

She nodded once and moved over near him, but not next to him, and sat down with her back to the tree. She watched as he slowly moved to sit down, too. She took a deep breath, "I was eighteen when I met him. I was just finishing up high school. A guy passing by saw me when I beat the living crap out of a guy who was trying to, um… take me." She noticed Cloud wince out of the corner of her eye before she continued, "Nothing happened to me then, and the guy watching came over to talk to me. Naturally, I was ready to beat him up, too. He talked to me, we became friends."

Almost against his will, Cloud asked, "…Who was it?"

"Reno. That's how I met Reno. Later, he introduced me to the rest of the gang. Literally. Sephiroth was their leader… the rest of the group consisted of two of his cousins, named Yazoo and Loz, Reno, and two guys named Genesis and Angeal. In the beginning, I didn't even know what it was they did… Killing, I mean. Sephiroth and I… we started to date. He only ever showed me a nicer, calmer side of his personality. I had no idea."

"So what changed?"

"I… walked in on him. He was… punishing a rival. Some guy who looked a little older than me. He killed him without mercy… slaughtering him. I had no clue what to think or do… Sephiroth turned and saw me there. Just like that," she snapped her fingers for emphasis, "he changed. He was suddenly dark and seething. I pretended that what I had just seen hadn't bothered me, and we went on with that lie for a little while… When… when he tried to… pull me into bed, I fought with him, not wanting to be with him anymore."

His shoulders stiffened as he mumbled, "Damn you, Sephiroth…"

"By now I was twenty and my dad had died…" She swallowed, "I fought against him, but that only made him angrier. He… pulled his sword on me… He cut me…" her hand strayed back to where her scar lay. "I just remember searing pain, and then I woke up in the hospital with Reno at my side. He told me that Loz had stopped by and delivered a message from… from _him_, saying that as long as we had our tattoos removed and never spoke of our lives there again then they'd leave us alone. He… he knew about Marlene, Cloud. I couldn't… I couldn't take the chance…" She touched her forehead to her knees in an effort to hide her quickly encroaching tears.

He set a hand on her shoulder comfortingly but didn't say anything. His fingers formed hypnotic circles on her back, attempting to sooth her.

She looked up and caught sight of the beaten-up yellow car pulling up to the curb and spoke, "Reno's coming around again... I have to go." She bit her lip, "Call me with what you decide, okay?"

He managed a nod, "Yeah..."

She managed a weak smile, "Thank you, Cloud... Bye..." She stood and walked off in the direction of the old taxi, climbing in and riding away.

**(Aeris, 2:17 p.m.)**

Aeris sat on the couch, scraping the edge of her fork against the edge of her take-out carton, trying to get every last bit of food from inside. Zack sat beside her, a look of amusement on his face as he held his own empty carton, plastic chopsticks deposited inside. She slid her fork between her lips and licked the rest of the spicy sauce off of it. Leaning forward a little, she set the carton on the coffee table with a sigh. She fell back against the sofa, "Well, I'm full."

Zack laughed, "That's too bad… I was saving the fortune cookies for the end." He reached in his pocket and held up two, individually wrapped cookies.

She gasped and reached out, trying to grab one. He held them at an arm's length, just out of her reach. In her attempt to snatch one, she lost her balance and fell over in a fit of giggles, landing right in his lap. She looked up at him, wide-eyed and flustered, before pushing herself back to her seat. Sitting in silence for a moment, Aeris closed her eyes and offered a quiet prayer, _'Genny… Give me the strength to move on…'_ She turned towards Zack and, holding her balance on his leg, pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth.

She pulled back and looked at him shyly, nibbling at her fingernail. He blinked and gave her a lopsided smirk, saying, "If you wanted a cookie, all you had to do was ask."

* * *

Oh, I just remembered! I have a video up on YouTube that I made to accompany this story. It's called 'Pride Weaves a Tangled Web' and it's done to U2's 'Pride (In the Name of Love).' My username is OCValkyrie if you can't find it the other way. If you have an account, please, drop a comment! I always love them! They're like reviews… They feed an artist's soul… Plus, I'm a college student. I need all the sustenance I can get ^_^

Please review!

-Valk


	15. Chapter XV

Alrighty! School has finally permitted a break! Argh… I think I'm clear on homework for awhile, so I should have a little more time… No promises though, okay?

**ohsnapples**: Sorry it took me so long… Yikes. First few weeks (Months? ^_^) of school are evil.

**DeeJay-Dubu**: Aw, shucks. I do owe a great deal of that to my beta, The Lone Wanderer. And my compulsive grammar corrections.

**Valentine'sNinja**: Yay! Cloud's finally crawling out of his little hole! Maybe now that he's not focused on hating Seph so much, maybe he'll actually turn out to be a good father, eh?

**g2Luvmeh**: Tifa and Zack… Yeah, I thought it was time they met up… and Zack got a taste of Angeal's true colors.

**vLuna**: Idiota? Is that it? You already told me that one!

**Deaddude221**: I'm glad to know you think the characters are developing convincingly. And while I can understand your POV for Vincent's disappearance, I believe he has more time to sulk…

**mom calling**: 'More Tangled Web to unravel'…? I like that! A new slogan, perhaps?

**Dawn. Fire. Angel** (I had to put spaces in your name to get it to show...): How… how did the plushie… bite you? Aren't they just felt? Never mind. Glad to have you along for this Tangled Web of pride, lies, and romance.

**Fairheartstrife**: Thanks for coming along! If/when you catch up, I hope you've accustomed to the time setup…

**mira ff**: Yep, Zack and Aerith finally got their 'moment.' I promised, didn't I?

**The Lone Wanderer**: You still haven't gotten back to me on which parallels you noticed… I'm wondering if there are some unintentional ones in here that I didn't notice.

**Fezzy**: Yippee! *Jumps up and down until dizzy* I love it when new people decide to drop by! I think just about everyone wants a CloTi ending… I won't say whether they get one, though ^_^

**caledon**: Oh, let's play a game! 'How Many Issues Does Cloud Have?' It's, like, the ultimate, never-ending game! It just keeps going and going…

**Soloros**: It's bogo on beta's! Buy one (Not that I'm paying you, Wanderer…), get one free! Thanks for the advice and for handling the CloTi *Hides knife behind back*

Thanks again to Wanderer for beta-ing! (Even if you did take so long… Not that I'm one to judge.)

_**Chapter XV**_

_**Mo**__**nday…**_

The following takes place between 2:45 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

**(Zack, 2:49 p.m.)**

Zack sat in silence, twiddling his thumbs and glancing at the brunette out of the corner of his eye. She glanced back, clearly as uncomfortable as he was. He raised a hand, scratching the back of his head, "So, ah, Aeris…? What exactly was that last night…?"

She turned to face him, determination set in her gaze, "I… I love Genny… I miss him, too. But I… I appreciate everything you've done for me, too… And I…"

"Ohh… So it was just a 'thank you'?"

"No! I… I had a talk with a friend who helped me plant some flowers for Genny yesterday… He seemed to think I'd be able to move on… Fall in love again, you know?"

"Wait…" he held his hands up in a time-out, "Are you saying you…?"

"I'm saying I don't know. I like you, Zack… As more than a friend, but I don't know if I love you just yet…"

"Mm…"

"Would you be open to a relationship with me…?"

Zack felt his heart soar. Was she seriously _asking_ him that? Utilizing every bit of acting experience he had, he replied nonchalantly, "Sure."

"I mean… I know I'm still recovering from Genny, and I know that his memory won't just fade overnight, but if you're okay with that…"

"Can I kiss you whenever I want?"

Her head snapped over to face him, "What…?"

He said nothing, simply leaning closer and taking her lips with his own. This kiss was nothing like the innocent one she had given him the night before. He'd forgotten what it felt like to kiss her, his only opportunity having been when they filmed together. He pulled back and licked his lips to moisten them, realizing too late that he should have done that first.

Aeris looked at him, and for a moment he was afraid she might slap him again. Instead, her face crumpled into a saddened smile. She wiped away the tear slipping down her cheek and whispered, "Thank you, Zack."

**(Cloud, 2:56 p.m.)**

Cloud sat behind the counter of his shop on a kitchen chair he'd dragged down from the upstairs. He straddled the back, resting his arms and chin on the top. Staring at the empty store, yet not really seeing it at all, he thought, _'I'm… going to be a father…? Tifa, I… I'm sorry I got you into this mess, but what can I do…?'_

**(Tifa, 3:14 p.m.)**

"Goodbye, sweetie!" Tifa hugged her little sister one last time before she climbed into the clunky van waiting in the driveway. The older girl turned to face Barret, "You'll take care of her?"

"I been takin' care o' her fo da last two years! I'll take good care o' her now!"

"Thanks, Barret. I know you will. It's just reassuring to hear you say it."

"Yeah… You take care o' yoself, too, ya hear me?"

"Loud and clear."

"Good." He climbed into the driver's seat of his van and backed out of the driveway.

Tifa waved, "Bye, Marlene! Have fun at camp!" She kept calling her farewells until the vehicle disappeared from sight. Feeling a little empty, she walked up onto the porch and sat on the swing, hesitantly setting a hand on her stomach, _'Cloud… I…'_ She bit her lip to keep her tears at bay, _'I'm so sorry… If I could go back and change things, I…'_ she paused, _'I'm not sure what I'd do… If I hadn't dated Sephiroth, chances are, I never would've met you…'_

**(Aeris, 3:38 p.m.)**

Aeris followed Zack down the hall to the studio where 'Two Princes' was being filmed that day. Slowly, she reached out and took his hand. He gave it a small squeeze before pulling back with a shake of his head and a smirk. She cast him a confused glance and he replied with a genuine smile, "Not here. I'll explain later."

"Okay… If you say so."

He shot her another smirk and nodded his head towards where the director sat, talking to Angeal. She giggled and nodded her understanding. She made her way over to the side of the set, where she could watch and stay out of the way. She took a seat in one of the many chairs placed along the side, where she caught Zack's eye and waved, mouthing, 'Break a leg!'

He grinned and mouthed back, 'Always do!'

"Excuse me, miss."

Aeris jumped out of her skin and turned to see a tall blond man standing next to her. She blinked, pointed to herself in a 'me?' kind of way and asked, "You are?"

"Excuse me." He pushed his glasses up his nose, "My name is Lazard Deusericus. You are Aerith Gainsborough, correct? The young woman who acted alongside Zack Fair in 'Shattered,' are you not?"

She eyed the stranger carefully as he spoke the stage name she'd chosen for herself, "Yeah, that's me. Why?"

"I am an agent of sorts and my company and I would like to sponsor you."

"What?"

"Are you not interested in gaining a contract? Perhaps we can discuss this more in-depth over lunch?"

"Kind of late for lunch, isn't it?"

"Dinner, then?"

"Um…" she raised her gaze to see Zack busy talking to the 'princess.' He looked like he was having a ball. She turned back to Lazard, "Okay. Let's meet. Dinner, then. The café down the street? Garamonde's?"

"Very well. Garamonde's at seven?" After she nodded, he slipped a hand inside his tailored jacket and came out with a small piece of paper in his hand. He held it towards Aeris, "My card. If anything changes, give me a call." With that, he walked off with a small wave over his shoulder.

Aeris watched him go before looking down at the card. She flipped it over in her hands, finding nothing unusual at all, before slipping it into her pocket and turning back to watch Zack in his natural element.

**(Tifa, 4:17 p.m.)**

Tifa sat behind Reno's computer, absorbing as much information as she could. She gave a sigh and clicked the 'X' in the corner to close the internet browser. She fell back in the old desk chair and set a hand on her stomach again, _'I think I've read enough on pregnancy for now… Who would've thought there was so much to take into account?'_

"So, what did Spiky say?"

Tifa turned to see Reno leaning against the doorframe, beer in hand, before replying, "Cloud wanted some time to think it over… Let it settle in."

"Mm… And you let him?"

"Reno, it's not like I called him up and ask him to meet me just so I could tell him I was going out to get lunch… This is a child, Reno. A _child_. I wouldn't _want_ him to make a decision in ten minutes. I want him to be sure that it's what he wants."

"Yeah, I can see that. How much time will ya give him?"

"As much as he needs. I can't -won't- rush this."

"I get it. Just let me know what's up, 'kay?"

"Alright. Thanks, Reno."

**(Cloud, 5:02 p.m.)**

Cloud stood from his place behind the counter and started to clean up the shop a little. The bell on the door jingled and Cloud turned to see an older man with long black hair tied back in a ponytail. The blond walked back behind the counter, "I'm sorry, sir. We're closed. Please come back tomorrow."

He sighed, "Tell me, boy, is this shop owned by Rosācea Strife?"

The blond eyed him warily for a moment before replying, "Yeah. Who are you?"

He ignored Cloud's question and asked, "Is she here?"

"That'd depend on who's asking."

"I'm an old friend. Could you tell her I stopped by?"

"Who the hell are-" He cut off with the sound of breaking glass coming from the doorway and turned to see Lucrecia standing there, shattered vase at her feet and a shaking hand held loosely over her mouth.

She pointed at the strange man, "Y-you…"

A small smile crossed his face, "Lucrecia, is that you? You look so much like your mother!"

"I…"

Cloud turned to his sister, "Luc? You know this guy?"

She swallowed, slowly facing her brother, "Cloud… This… this man is our father…"

"_What!?_" Cloud almost spat at the same time the other man asked, "Our?"

Lucrecia looked back and forth between them, "Cloud Crescent-Strife, Hojo Crescent. I… what brings you here?"

"I came to see your mother. Is she here?"

"I'm sorry to tell you, but my mother passed away two years ago."

He looked to the floor, unsure of how to proceed, "I'm sorry to hear that."

A flash of gold creased through the air as Cloud reached his hand under the counter and drew one of his side blades, pointing it directly at Hojo's throat. He licked his suddenly-dry lips, shoulders shaking in sudden anger, "So… You're the sick son-of-a-bitch who thought it'd be funny to leave us alone to struggle…"

"I have my reasons."

Lucrecia stepped around the broken glass on the floor and moved closer to her brother, "Cloud! Put that sword down! He's your _father_!"

"Some father. Left mom with us only for her to get cut down by some bastard…"

Hojo brought a hand up to take off his glasses to clean the lenses on his tie, "Rosācea was murdered?"

"Not that it matters to you."

"I did love her, no matter what you may think."

"Then why the fuck did you leave?"

He sighed, "I was caught by circumstance… My position in Nibelheim forbade me from being with your mother… My father was the head of external communication and, as his son, I had to marry someone else… The daughter of a senator. I never left. I just did what I had to."

Cloud forced his anger down, trying to keep his thoughts clear, "So… Let me get this straight… My mother was… your mistress?"

"It wasn't like that at all. After my legitimate son was born, I realized-"

"Wait. Son? Are you saying I -we- have a half-brother?"

Hojo nodded, "Mm. He was such a good boy." He shook his head, "Anyway, my wife started to get suspicious of my reasons for leaving so often. I convinced Rosācea to take little Lucrecia and leave town to find a place to start a new life. I didn't even know about you, er-"

"Cloud. Cloud Tempest _Strife_," he put emphasis on his last name to help express his boiling emotions.

Lucrecia stuck her hands on her hips, "Cloud!"

"Don't stop me, Luc. This bastard deserves all that's coming to him."

"Wait!" She turned to her father, "I want to meet our brother. If he doesn't know about us, that's fine; you can make up whatever excuse you want, but I want to meet him."

Hojo finished cleaning his glasses and slid them back on, "I'm not sure that's such a good idea…"

Cloud's nostrils flared in anger, "Why not? He can't be as bad as you."

"Well… He's… changed. Sephiroth isn't the same as he was as a boy. Not since his mother died."

Cloud felt his heart stop and had to grab the counter to keep from falling over as his sword clattered to the floor, "Seph…ir…oth? Sephiroth? _He's_ my brother? What the goddamn fuck!?"

Lucrecia looked at him, "Cloud! Watch your language!"

He turned to his sister, "You shut up!"

The realization just seemed to hit her, "Wait, you know him?"

"He's only the fuckin' bastard who killed Mom!"

Her reply came breathy, "What…? Cloud, don't be ridiculous… There's no proof!"

"No…" He shoved past Lucrecia on his way to the garage, "I can't take this. I have enough shit on my plate right now." He slammed the door open and saddled into Fenrir, gunning the engine and taking off as fast as he could.

**(Zack, 5:****26 p.m.)**

"Cut!"

At the director's queue, Zack fell out of place, relaxing after his incredibly annoying scene. He walked over to where Aeris sat with a smile, "Heya. What d'you think?"

"Great! I can't wait to see how this season turns out!"

"I know, right?"

She laughed, "We can watch it together when it's done."

"Yeah! You know… I might even be able to get you a guest appearance on the show. After your work with 'Shattered,' I wouldn't doubt it if the director would want you!"

She laughed, "We'll see. Hey… Zack? Do you know someone named Lazard Deusericus?"

He froze, "Yeah… Do you?"

"I'm asking, aren't I?"

"What brought him up?"

"He talked to me while you were filming… We arranged a meeting to discuss a contract."

He grinned, "Whaaat…!? You mean you want to act for real!?"

"I'm thinking about it, anyway."

His face fell back to seriousness, "Lazard's bad news, though. He works for a company rivaling the one I work through… It'd make us enemies."

She touched a finger to her chin, "Really?"

"Yeah. Well, I guess the sponsors don't really affect the actors so much, I suppose. It's more how the agents interact with each other. But, then again, I'm really pissed at Angeal right now, so I say go for it!"

"I'll talk to him, at least. What happened between you and Angeal?"

"Well…" he started, realizing what peeved him so much and who he was talking to and opted for, "I'd rather not get into it right now."

"Okay. If you ever want to talk about it, I'm right here."

"Thanks." He looked back and forth around the studio, at all the attendants running about to get everything set for the next scene, the director shouting orders, and Angeal on the side, feigning disinterest. Zack sighed, _'Oh, what the hell…?'_ He took Aeris's shoulders in his hands and bent down to kiss her full on the lips, right in front of everyone.

**(Tifa, 5:****48 p.m.)**

Tifa walked down the sidewalk, holding her guitar case in her right hand. She reached the entryway to her destination and froze, spying the blond sitting beneath the tree, knees against his chest and forehead down, hiding his face from sight. Watching in silence, Tifa stayed where she was, feeling her stomach drop. _'I've never seen Cloud so down… Is it… because of what I told him yesterday…? Does he hate me for it…?"_ She shook her head, deciding not to talk to him right now and turned, walking back the way she had come.

**(Cloud, 5:****54 p.m.)**

Cloud sat beneath his and Tifa's tree in the park in Sector Six, elbows crossed over his knees and face buried within. He brought his head up, leaning back against the tree, _'Okay… Let's recap. My best friend is still a wreck after killing another friend's fiancé who was a member of my half-brother's gang… Tifa just told me yesterday that she's pregnant with my baby… I met my father… Who in turn told me that the sick mother-fucker who ruined my life is actually my brother… Oh, Goddess…! Fuck! I'm… related to _that_! He killed my mom, was the cause of death for both of Vincent's brothers, he fucked up my relationship with Tifa… The mother of my child… Damn, I imagined starting a life with her plenty of times, but now that it's being forced…? Damn it.'_ He dropped his forehead back to his forearms, _'I'm sorry, Tifa… I wish I could do more for you…'_

**(Aeris, ****6:12 p.m.)**

Aeris shoved Zack into the dressing room and shut the door behind her, turning to face Zack, "And what was that?"

He gave a small shrug, looking like a kid who was just caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "Um, I… You said you wanted to try a relationship!"

Her mouth twitched slightly, causing Zack to flinch a little. Realizing he thought she was angry, she gave her head a shake, letting laughter slip past her lips. She smiled, "Zack… I… I was thinking… I'm going to the Icicle Inn to visit my parents next week and I was wondering if you wanted to come along?"

Zack blinked, "Aeris… I'd like that. I'll talk to Angeal about clearing my schedule."

"Great! I can't wait!"

He smirked, "Is the mother as crazy as the daughter?"

She touched a finger to her chin, contemplating his thought, "Quite possibly… She might even be crazier."

His eyebrows rose, "I seriously doubt that…"

"Believe it." She giggled, "You'll just have to wait until you meet her."

"Yeah, I guess so."

**(Tifa, 6:****47 p.m.)**

Tifa sat on her futon, snuggled under the blankets with a book on pregnancy she'd checked out of the library. She finished the section on cravings just as her cell phone rang, playing Cloud's Song through a monotone speaker. Reaching for her nightstand, she picked it up and checked the caller. She froze, staring at the name for a moment before flipping it open and answering, voice shaking, "Hello?"

"It's me, Cloud."

"I know. I know your number…"

He was silent for a brief moment, "Tifa, I'm… I'm calling about… about the… about the baby."

Tears stung at her eyes, threatening to fall, "I wasn't expecting you to call back so quickly…"

"I… About that… Something happened and… and I want to make up for it."

"Huh? I'm not following you…"

"I don't really want to talk about it now, but… Well, what I wanted to say was… If you… if you need any help with the baby… You know, financially… or if you wanted me to take care of it on weekends or every other week or whatever… I'm willing to help."

Unable to hold them back any longer, she let the tears start to fall quietly. Swallowing to avoid choking on her words, she replied, "Cloud, I… Thank you. You have no idea how much it means to me that you're willing to step up and help… But, I do have one question…"

She thought she heard him sigh before he asked, "What's that?"

"Are you just saying that out of obligation? Or do you really want it? I don't want to force into something you don't want…"

"Tifa, it doesn't really matter. I got you into this mess and I'll help you through it."

"Cloud, please. I want to know… Do you want this?"

The sound of his breathing was all she could hear for a long moment as he thought it over. Finally, he spoke, "…It sucks."

Taken aback by his response, she asked, "What?"

"It sucks growing up without knowing your dad… Don't get me wrong, my mom and sister more than made up for his absence; but deep down, all I wanted was my dad… To have a guy I could look up to… to talk to… Sure, I met Vincent and he served as a bit of a father figure to me, but it's not the same. So to answer your question, yes, I feel obligated to help. Yes, I want to give the child of my blood a father. Yes, I… I want to help. I want to be a dad to this baby."

"Cloud…" She pressed a hand to her mouth, afraid her voice might break. She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Cloud… Thank you… But I…"

"Tifa?"

"I don't want what you're offering."

"What?"

"I… I don't want to take your money or to cart this baby back and forth between our homes…" She took a breath, bracing herself for her next words, "Cloud… I want us to be a family… To raise this child together."

"Tifa, that's-"

"I know. I'm asking a lot, but, please, think about it… if not for me than for the baby." She paused, collecting her courage, "I love you… I've wanted to say those words to you for so long… Ever since our one-month anniversary when you gave me your mother's earrings. It seems like so long ago, but… I love you, Cloud. Even if you don't return my feelings, I want you to know how I feel…"

**(Cloud, 6:58 p.m.)**

'_She __said loves me… I love her… We have a baby on the way… Damn it, why do I have to be such an ass? Why can't I just tell her…?'_ he thought to himself before mumbling into his phone, "You deserve someone better than me…"

Unable to make out his words, she asked, "What?"

"Nothing… Just thinking. Tifa, I'll give it some thought and get back to you, okay?"

"Thank you, Cloud. Good-bye…"

"'Bye." Before he hung up, he whispered into the receiver, "I love you, too." Considering he didn't hear her say anything before the line went dead, he assumed she didn't hear him speak his heart. Giving a sigh, he snapped his phone closed and stuck it back in his pants pocket. He stood from his place by 'their' tree and wiped his hands on his pants to clean off the dirt before tugging on a pair of riding gloves and making his way over to Fenrir.

**(Zack, 7:26 p.m.)**

Zack waited with his hands on the steering wheel as Aeris went through her meeting with Lazard. He shook his head, remembering the last time he had spoken with the blond.

"_I was wondering… Are you, by any chance, looking for a new representative?"_

_Zack blinked, "No, I'm not. I'm cool with Angeal."_

"_I… see…"_

_He shrugged, "He gets me what I need and helps me with what I want. He's more than an agent; he's more like a brother. So, sorry, dude, but I'm gonna have to decline." He stood, nodding to the other man and slapped down enough gil to pay for both of their drinks and a nice, hefty tip._

Zack leaned back in his Gabbiani and laughed, _'Damn… I was such a spoiled brat back then… Was that only two months ago…? Geez…'_

**(Aeris, 7:35 p.m.)**

Aeris sat across from Lazard Deusericus in the small, upper-class café with a mug of tea in front of her. Lazard set his coffee down and extended a hand over the table, waiting. Aeris took her cue and placed hers in his for a handshake. He gave a professional smile, "Thank you, Miss Gainsborough. I look forward to working with you."

She smiled back, one full of gratitude, "Trust me, Mr. Deusericus, the pleasure is all mine."

"Well, then. We'll meet to discuss this further when you return from your vacation?"

"Sure!" She bit her lip unnoticeably, "Um… I have something to do… Is there anything else we have to do before I get back?"

"No. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call." With a teasing smile, he added, "Although… I hope you'll have the good taste not to call in the middle of the night?"

She laughed, "Don't worry. That's what parents and boyfriends are for." She stood, "Well, then, I guess I'll see you then."

He followed suit, "Alright then."

She walked outside to find Zack waiting in his sports car, tapping his hands on the wheel to the heavy metal song on the radio. She laughed and walked around to the passenger side, releasing the lock and climbing in beside him. He turned to face her, wide grin on his face, "So? How'd it go?"

She leaned over, pressing a kiss to his lips, "It went great! We'll be meeting again after we get back from the Icicle Inn."

"Nice! I can't wait to start working with you again!"

"Oh, yeah, and I'm _sure_ you enjoyed the last time…"

He grinned, "Damn right I did!"

She gave a little laugh, "Zack… I never get sick of talking to you… Just when you start to think you know what's going on, you go and pull something unexpected like that."

"And you love me for it, right?"

She paused, looking into his eyes with wide ones. A slow smile spread to her lips, "Yes, Zack, I do."

**(Cloud, 7:51 p.m.)**

Finally getting sick of driving in random circles, Cloud found his way back home and pulled into the garage. He walked inside warily, in case his 'father' was still there. Finding no trace and the glass on the floor picked up, he made his way upstairs and unlocked the door to find the apartment empty. He walked over to the kitchen, glancing around for notes. He found one resting on the center counter scrawled out in Lucrecia's handwriting, _'I don't know if you'll be home first or not, but I have my class to teach. I'll be back around nine. See you then (Hopefully). –Luc.'_

He sighed, walking into his room and set his keys on his dresser before dropping down on his bed. He reached up and opened the drawer on his nightstand where he kept his most precious possessions. He dug around briefly, finding what he wanted and rolled over to lean against his headboard.

He gently handled the small stuffed wolf his mother had gotten for him as a child and fixed many times over the years as his reckless actions had caused the thing to get beaten and worn. It was that toy, the only thing that he would even consider taking with him on outings, that had made him love wolves so much.

He had gotten the wolf, which remained nameless to this day, and Luc had gotten a kitten with a marble in its head to simulate a purring sound. Cloud had hated that kitten. The marble kept rattling beyond the point of purring to pure _noise_. He smiled softly to himself, _'Was this what Mom was thinking when she got pregnant? Her childhood? Her parents? Is this… Is this what Tifa's thinking about…?'_

* * *

Ehh… I know, Hojo being Lucrecia's father is weird, but I didn't have that part made up until somewhat recently. I was making this up as I went, remember?

The name I used for Cloud's mother, Rosācea, is the Latin word meaning, 'Crowns of Roses.' I thought about using 'Rosa,' but that was already taken by a blonde heroine of Final Fantasy… And, I thought anyone who named their kids Lucrecia and Cloud had to have a weird name themselves.

Also, I have a poll up on my profile for psychology class… I have to give a presentation and I thought, _'What better way to do research than to get live results?'_ It's completely anonymous, so, please, help me out! Thank you!

-Valk


	16. Chapter XVI

Okay, I admit, I'm terrible. I have a test next week and here I am, writing fanfiction. You guys don't mind, though. Right?

That's enough about me. On to you guys!

**mom calling**: Avast, ye matey's! *Ahem* Sorry. You said to. Well, yes, by Real Life standards, they might stand about the same chance as a snowball would in hell.

**zackfairfan**: I'M TRYING! Geez… Just kidding. I love any and all reviews.

**vLuna**: Here's another breakfast treat for you! Enjoy! Just… don't eat anything that would stain…

**oodball167**: w00t! Another new face! Don't you remember chapters nine-present? Cloud deserves all that's coming to him… Well, maybe not this…

**nUmbskuLL**: 100th review! Woo-hoo! Yep. Cloud's a- Oops. Almost said 'numbskull.' The irony. Nimrod. Cloud's a nimrod. Better?

**Fezzy**: Too. Damn. Cute. Indeed. Anyway, I'm sorry about this chapter and, right now, here's a check for a new chair.

**ohsnapples**: It is adorable, isn't it? I have a challenge for fan art artists! Can you draw a pic of Cloud holding his stuffed husky?

**Truth-Unspoken**: Hee! Just wait 'til you see this chap! And, yeah, Cloud's language is terrible. I should really do something about that…

**The Lone Wanderer**: *Laughs manically* Oh, the pleasure I feel when I get reviews like this! Such a deep surge of pride at your comments. Cloud=Foolish, Zack=Immature, Hojo=Bastard, Seph=Cloud's half-brother. Perfectly accurate.

**Valentine'sNinja**: He's getting there! This chapter should help him along a bit. Or maybe not.

**Deaddude221**: Welcome back! Well, if I get anything wrong, please let me know, okay? I don't like being wrong…

**g2Luvmeh**: Heeey! Zack and Aeris got some recognition! I think they're kind of fading into the background…

**ken08002**: I have to admit, that is an incredibly awesome image.

**Hishin Trueflame**: I pray to God that no one's image of Cloud is ruined by my AU version… Glad to know yours remains intact!

Thanks again, Wanderer, and have fun with the show!

* * *

_Now, I could never change you  
__I don't want to blame you.  
__Baby, you don't have to take the fall._

_Yes, I may have hurt you  
__But I did not desert you.  
__Maybe I just want to have it all._

~_Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough_, by Patty Smyth & Don Henley

_**Chapter XV**__**I**_

_**One Week Later… June **__**3rd**_

_**Wednesday**__**…**_

The following takes place between 8:25 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

**(****Zack, 8:25 p.m./4:25 p.m.)**

Zack shivered and turned the heat in his Gabbiani up to the max. The girl beside him laughed, "Don't tell me you're cold?"

"Come on, Aeris! It's, like, negative eighty out here!"

"Thermometer on the dash says it's only negative fifteen."

He glanced sideways at her over the furry trim on his jacket hood, scanning her attire of jeans and a pink long sleeve t-shirt before asking, "How can you stand this god-forsaken cold?"

She giggled, "Zack, I grew up here. I'd be in shorts at forty degrees. When I first got to Midgar, I was so hot I'd sit naked in my dorm."

His eyebrows shot up, "Really?"

"Yeah." She pushed her sleeves up as the heat kicked in and jumped, pointing out the window, "Oh! This it! Turn here!"

"Dunno how you can tell in this frickin' blizzard, but I'll trust you."

"Good, 'cause we would've gone off a cliff if we kept going."

"Whaaat!? Seriously!?"

"Well, there's a railing, but, yeah, there's a cliff out thataway."

"Oh, man…"

**(Tifa****, 8:39 p.m.)**

Tifa sat on the couch, holding two photo albums; one of her family before Marlene was born and the other with Marlene and without her mother. She started flipping through, smiling at the photos of the two of them as infants and starting imagining what her baby would look like. Her eyes and nose, Cloud's mouth and chin… Her cheekbones and… She gave a little laugh when she imagined a baby with Cloud's disheveled spikes. The image dissipated as her attention snapped to her ringing phone. She picked up her cell, "Hello?"

"Hi, Tifa!"

A smile spread on her face as she looked out the window at the pouring rain, "Marlene! How are you, sweetie?"

"I'm great! I missed you and the counselor's not looking, so Barret gave me his phone and now I'm calling!"

She smiled to herself, "Is Barret being a bad example?"

"No. He was just sick of me complaining about not being able to talk to you."

"Marlene… Camp is supposed to be an escape from family… Not an excuse to raise cell phone bills."

"I know. I promise I'll only call during the set 'family time' from now on."

"It's okay, sweetie. I missed you, too."

"…Tifa?"

"Hm?"

"Are you friends with Cloud again yet?"

She took a deep breath, setting a hand on her stomach, _'I wonder what Marlene will think when I tell her I'm going to have Cloud's baby… She'll probably jump for joy.'_ Just realizing she hadn't replied yet, she spoke into the receiver, "I don't think so, sweetie… But we're working on it."

"Okay…"

"Alright, you get back to your counselor. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay! Bye, Tifa!"

The line clicked off and Tifa set her phone back on the end table, turning back to her photo albums. The house phone started to ring and she sighed, moving the albums off her lap and stood to answer. _'Now who could that be…?'_ she wondered as she picked it up, "Hello?"

The second the voice on the other end spoke her face paled and she almost dropped the phone.

**(Aeris, ****8:58 p.m./4:58 p.m.)**

Aeris waited in the passenger seat of Zack's sports car, watching as he pulled into her parents' driveway. He shifted to park and turned off the ignition, moving to get out. The brunette touched his arm, how he felt it through his thick coat was beyond her, and stopped him, whispering, "Um, Zack?"

He turned to face her, suddenly a little worried, "Yeah? What's up?"

"Well… It's just… My parents really liked Genny, and I don't want them to think I didn't love him as much as I did, so… what I'm trying to say is…"

He rubbed her arm gently, "I get it. I can be just your friend." He grinned, "Can I kiss you after they go to bed?"

She smiled slightly, "My mom doesn't go to bed until after one… and my dad gets up at six, so I really don't think we'll get a chance."

"Well, that's okay. I've waited this long for you to accept me. I can wait another week to kiss you again."

"Thank you, Zack, for understanding…"

"No problem, chiquita."

"Huh?"

**(Lucrecia, 9:12 p.m.)**

Lucrecia walked down the sidewalk, balancing her notebooks on her hip. She fumbled around in her pocket, searching for her keys. Grasping her fingers around them, she looked up and almost dropped her books at the sight of the disheveled brunette standing by the side door. She reached out, softly touching her shoulder with her free hand, "Tifa?"

The younger woman jumped at the contact and turned to reveal her tear-stained face. She sniffed, "Luc… I…"

"What's wrong, Tifa? Are… are you here to see Cloud?"

"I…"

"Come on; he should be upstairs." She unlocked the door, nudging the girl inside and out of the rain. Leading her upstairs, she pushed the door to the apartment open and walked inside.

Cloud looked over the back of the sofa and greeted his sister, "Hey, Luc." His eyes fell on Tifa and widened. Bracing an arm on the back of the couch, he leapt over to greet her with worry in his gaze.

Luc shrugged a response when he looked to her for an explanation. She carried her books to the kitchen table and sat down, "I'll stay here. You guys go wherever you need to."

**(Cloud, 9:15 p.m.)**

Cloud nodded his thanks before setting a hand on Tifa's arm and guiding her to his room. He shut the door behind him and turned back to gently seat her on the bed. Squatting down to eyelevel, he took her hands in his and whispered, "Tifa. What's wrong?"

She sniffed and choked on her words as she tried to speak, tearing his heart apart all the while, "C-cloud… I'm… I'm sorry…"

Still holding one of her hands in his, he brought the other up to brush her tears away. He caressed her cheek softly, "Tifa…"

She swallowed, "Cloud… I'm sorry to bother you, but I… But Reno and Yuffie are out and Barret took Marlene to camp this week… I'm sorry… I didn't know who else to talk to…"

"It's okay, Tifa. You did the right thing. Just tell me what's wrong. Is it the baby?"

She shook her head, then thought better of it and nodded slowly, managing to choke out, "I… It's the landline…"

Confusion consumed his cerulean gaze, "What?"

"He called me…" She swallowed again to clear the lump in her throat, "Two years ago… When Reno and I broke free from him… We changed our cell numbers so he couldn't call us… We never used the landline… It never even crossed our minds."

Not wanting to waste his second chance by assuming the wrong thing, Cloud tightened his grip on her hands and asked, "Tifa… Is it Sephiroth? Did he do something to you?"

She nodded shakily, tears returning with a vengeance, "He… he threatened… He knows I'm pregnant, Cloud. I don't know how, or if he knows it's yours, but… but…"

"Tifa. What did he try to do to you and the baby?"

"He… he said… He gave me a choice. He said I could…" Her shoulders shook as her shudders became more violent and her tears fell faster.

The blond focused on breathing, shifting to his knees to gain more support and squeezed her hands almost to the point of breaking them. He looked her in the eye, struggling to keep his voice calm as anger created a torrent of bloodlust within him, "Tifa. Relax. Tell me what he told you. Please. This is my baby, too, right?"

She nodded, "He… he said I could either go back to him and raise the child as his; or he would hunt me down in a year or so and… and… The baby…"

Her tears fell faster still, well beyond hysterics, as she hiccupped against the crook of his neck where she'd fallen. The blond softly turned to kiss her beneath her left ear and braced his hands on her shoulders, tenderly pushing her down to the pillows. He knew what he had to do and whispered to the beautiful woman on his bed, "Sleep, Teef. When you wake up, I'll have a solution to this mess. I promise."

He reached down to the end of the bed to pull the blue and white afghan his mother had made for him up over the distraught woman's shoulders. Her shudders slowly calmed as her breathing fell into the rhythm of sleep. He touched a hand to her cheek, lovingly stroking her face before leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead.

He spoke in a soft voice, "I love you, Tifa." He turned, opening his closet door slowly to avoid waking her and reached inside, pulling the fully assembled First Ken out. Running his fingers along the blunt side of the blade, he examined the materia set inside to make sure he had what he needed before sheathing it on his back. On his way past the dresser, he paused, glancing at the small box thereon. He picked it up and opened it, pulling the small, wolfish earring out of its resting place. He tucked it in his fist as he moved to pull the old earring out and slipped the wolf one in its place.

Satisfied, he walked out to the kitchen and glanced up at his sister, "I have to go for a little while. Will you take care of Tifa if she needs anything?"

She met his gaze, "Cloud… Why are you leaving?"

"I need to talk to Vincent about something important. You know I wouldn't leave Tifa like this unless it was."

"Alright, fine. On one condition."

"What's that?"

"What's wrong with Tifa? What happened to get her so hysterical?"

Cloud crossed his arms, not really wanting to have this conversation now, and mumbled, "She's pregnant."

Luc's eyes widened considerably, "Wha…? I… Cloud…?"

"What?" he snapped at her, antsy to leave.

"I pray to the Goddess you won't hate me for this, but I have to ask; is it-"

"Yes. I'm the father. Or so Tifa's assured me and I really don't want to doubt her."

"I see. I know you wouldn't abandon Tifa -in your own bedroom, no less- so, yes, I'll help her if she needs anything. Hey, Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"Am I going to have a little niece or a nephew?"

"Don't know. Tifa either doesn't know or she hasn't told me. It's probably too early to tell, anyway."

"I see. Go do what you have to and hurry back."

He nodded, "If Tifa wakes up, tell her I _will_ be coming back."

"Alright. I will."

"Thanks."

**(Zack, 9:21 p.m.****/5:21 p.m.)**

The front door to Aeris's home opened and an older mirror image of Aeris poked her head out, grinning when she saw the brunette helping Zack get bags out of the trunk. She ran over, almost slipping on the ice, to throw her arms around her daughter. Aeris hugged her back with a semi-cheerful call, "Mom! It's really good to see you!"

Her mother squeezed her tighter, "Oh, my goodness! How have you been? I haven't seen you since-"

"Genny's funeral. I know."

Neatly shaped brown eyebrows rose as the older leaned around the younger to inspect the awkward-feeling guest, "And who is this?"

Glad to be included, Zack extended his gloved hand to the woman, "Hi. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Zack Fair."

A high-pitched wail filled his ears as she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Zack Fair!? _The_ Zack Fair!? Oh, my Goddess!" She turned to her daughter briefly, "Why didn't you tell me you knew Zack Fair!?"

"Mom… He's just another guy underneath all the fame. Zacky really doesn't like all the hype," she shot him a look, "_do you?_"

He laughed, "Okay, Aer! Whatever you say. I'm an easy guy." He winked at her mother and whispered, "I'll get you an autograph when the prison warden isn't around."

"I heard that!"

**(Cloud, 9:33 p.m.)**

Cloud pulled Fenrir to a stop at the curb and lifted the receiver to a payphone of its hook. He slid a gil into the slot and dialed a number from memory, tapping his foot anxiously while he waited for the person on the other end to pick up. A soft click and a young voice asked, "Hello?"

"Hey, Kadaj, it's me, Cloud. Don't hang up right away."

"I wasn't going to."

"Sorry. I need your help."

"With what?"

"I need Sephiroth's phone number."

"What? Why?"

"I'll explain later. Please."

"Cloud… Do you have any idea what would happen if he found out I gave his number away?"

"Don't worry. I'm at a payphone; I'll move to a different one before I call him; your number isn't in my cell… There's no way for him to link me to you. Please."

"Oh… Alright," he sighed before giving the seven digits.

Cloud jotted the number down on his forearm with a pen and spoke, "Thanks, Kadaj. And I'm… sorry about your nose… No matter what I was thinking then, I don't have an excuse anymore."

"Huh?"

"I'll explain later. Promise."

"Alright. Talk to you later then."

"Yeah. Bye." Cloud set the phone down in its place and climbed back onto Fenrir, taking off in a random direction. When another payphone came into sight, he stopped and got off, slipping another gil inside and dialed the number on his arm.

The smooth and monotonous voice filled his ears, fueling his rage just from the sound, "Who is this?"

"Not a very polite way to answer the phone."

"Who is this and how did you get your hands on this number?"

"You'll know me as Fenrir and how I got this number doesn't matter. Meet me in the alley behind Shadow's" he checked his watch, "in an hour. Come alone."

"Very well. I can't deny a fool his death. One hour."

"Goodbye," he paused, "Brother." He hung up, leaving the demon to think about that and climbed back onto Fenrir. He gunned the engine and drove out to the base, stopping sloppily and jumping off. Jogging to the door and shoving it open, he marched over to the cabinet that held most of their stuff and grabbed two objects from within before slamming it shut again. He walked over to where the three mattresses sat parallel to one another and dropped the items on the occupant of one.

Vincent didn't even look up, "Go away, kid."

"I don't think so. Suit up." He nudged the holster and the red scarf closer to him, "I need a second."

The gothic man looked up, "What do you mean?"

"Isn't that what they call them in all the old-fashioned movies? When two guys are going to duel, the guy they pick to replace them if they can't fight? Isn't he called a second?"

"Why are you dueling?"

"I'm going to kill Sephiroth."

"Honestly, kid…"

"I already called him. I'm supposed to meet him in forty minutes. I told him to show up alone, but I don't expect him to abide the rules, so I want you to go to take out anyone who doesn't belong. No touching Sephiroth, though. He's mine."

"Sorry, kid. I've killed one man. It's not worth it. Even if he was a murderer."

"For cryin' out loud! Get some fucking sense, Vincent! Do you have any idea what I've been through?"

"It can't be that bad."

"Let's see…" Cloud raised his fingers to count off them, "My mother was killed, I didn't have the chance to say goodbye, I fell in love with the most amazing girl alive, knocked her up on the first date, broke her heart over something stupid, realized later that I made the biggest goddamn mistake imaginable, met my estranged father who turned out to be a jackass and a half, found out my sister still has some sort of daughter-like love for the bastard, watch my best friend and closest thing to a father beat himself up because he killed a man, and, oh, yeah, let's not forget that my 'father' revealed that the biggest motherfucker alive is my half-brother."

Vincent jumped up at that, "_What!?_"

"Yeah, do I have your attention now? I thought so."

"Sephiroth… is your brother…?"

"_Half_-brother. We had different mothers."

"And… did you say Tifa's…?"

Cloud tied his scarf over his nose and mouth, "Pregnant? Yeah."

He ran a hand through his long hair, "Geez…"

"Yeah." Cloud crossed his arms, "So. You gonna help me out or what?"

"Alright, I'll help."

**(Aeris, 9:49 p.m.****/5:49 p.m.)**

Aeris sat at the round kitchen table, Zack to her left, Ifalna to her right, and Gast opposite. She helped herself to some of her favorite take-out, something she'd been accustomed to since neither of her parents could cook and laughed along with Zack's jokes or her mother's updates of home.

Ifalna smiled, "So… Mr. Fair… Are you getting Rissy into the big screen business?"

He laughed good-naturedly, "Call me Zack, please. Not even half of my coworkers call me 'Mr. Fair.' But to answer your question, she's doing a fine job of that herself."

Aeris blushed as her parents turned to face her. Gast raised an eyebrow, "Aeris? What's he talking about?"

"Well, it's… You see… I'm…"

Zack grinned, "'Rissy' is meeting to discuss a contract after she goes back to Midgar."

"Is that so?"

Aeris laughed nervously, "Yeah… Um, I'm not even sure I'm going to accept it right now… I'm just looking…"

Ten minutes later, dinner gone and the trash disposed of, Gast walked Zack off to 'man talk' and Aeris went to help Ifalna with the laundry that had miraculously gotten done. Ifalna folded a pair of slacks, "I think he likes you."

Aeris looked up, "What?"

"Zack. He likes you."

"M-mom… Don't be ridiculous…"

"You can tell just from the way he looks at you. It's obvious."

"Mom… I…"

"I know. You're still hurting. But don't wait too long. He might not wait forever." She set her hand on her daughter's shoulder, "I know you love Genny, but Zack seems like a really nice boy."

Aeris raised her head to look at her mother suspiciously, "Who are you and what have you done with my mother?"

Ifalna laughed and picked up the stack of her clothes, moving to go upstairs. She paused at the landing, "It's pretty obvious that you care about him, too. Just do something about it. Genny would want you to be happy."

**(Cloud, 10:38 p.m.)**

Cloud watched from a distance as Vincent picked the lock to the apartment complex near where his fight was going to be. After he had disappeared inside, Cloud walked across the street and into the alley. Keeping his sword out, expecting no mercy, his eyes narrowed at the sight of the silver-haired monster. He stood tall, Masamune held tightly in his left hand, and spoke, "So… Hell's mutt couldn't handle me? He had to send his puppy?"

"Don't talk about Cerberus like that. He could whoop your ass if he wanted to -and trust me, he does- but he thought I had a better reason for the kill."

"And what is that?"

Cloud reached up with one hand, untying the knot on his scarf to reveal his chaotic hair and Mako-filled eyes. Sephiroth didn't twitch, unwilling to offer any more signs of recognition. The blond tied his scarf to his arm to keep it out of the way and spoke, "You don't recognize me? Most people don't forget my hair."

He raised an eyebrow, "No. I can't recall ever seeing you before."

"The scar on my arm says differently." He rubbed the spot where the poisoned knife had pierced his flesh months ago. "Nothing?"

"No."

"Does the name Tifa Lockhart ring a bell?"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, "How do you know her?"

He sighed, "Let's see… I'm only the father of her child. Now do you have something?"

"Mm… Yes, I recall you now. You're the brat who was attempting to seduce _my_ woman."

"_Yours!?_ What the hell gives you the fucking right to call her _yours!?_"

"I desire her, therefore, she is mine."

"Were you always such a goddamn brat?"

"I fail to see the relevance."

"If so, I'm so fucking grateful my mom raised me."

"What are you implying?"

"Heh. And here I would've thought the 'brother' would've clued you in."

"What?"

"Not such a happy image, is it? Your half-brother is going to be the death of you… Oh, Goddess, how I've waited for this day!" He pointed his sword towards the other man, "Sephiroth! Prepare to die!" He lunged forward, First Ken at the ready, and thrust at his foe. Sephiroth dodged easily, stepping out of the way and taking a swing at the blond's back. Cloud rolled to his right, out of the way of the overlong sword and leapt to his feet.

Sephiroth charged, holding his sword near his face in his favorite ready stance. Cloud flipped his sword in his hand, deflecting the silver-haired man's blade before it could touch him. He tugged one of the back blades out of the back of the First Ken, opting for a duel-wield stance. Crossing his swords quickly, he jumped straight up, crashing the larger blade to the ground in his Braver strike. His foe dodged easily, leaping to safety on the fire escape of the same apartment building Vincent was camped out in.

Even with his friend there, Cloud knew he couldn't afford to be careless. He thought back to his words before leaving the base, _"No matter what happens, you can't fire at Sephiroth. He is mine. If I should die before killing him, than that's too bad. This is my fight, and I intend to keep my honor."_

"_But what about your baby? You'd leave it without a father just for honor?"_

"_I… Yes."_

_Vincent slapped his forehead, __"I see…"_

Cloud ducked the sparks ejecting from the clash of the blades, using all his Mako-induced strength to fight. He thrust Sephiroth back and focused on the orb embedded in his blade. A flash of thunder bolted through the alley, completely missing his foe.

He smirked, focusing on his own materia, casting a fire spell towards the blond. A level two spell. Cloud dropped down, just in time to duck the blaze as it crashed into the dumpsters behind him. The repugnant smell of burning trash filled the air, making it difficult to concentrate.

Cloud focused on a different green orb, casting a Regen spell on himself to prevent burns from the intensely building heat. Cursing himself for forgetting to equip a Barrier Materia, he made do with his current defenses and leapt through the flames to attack his enemy.

**(Tifa, 10:46 p.m.)**

Tifa blinked the sleep out of her eyes, sitting slowly and immediately setting a hand on her stomach. She looked around, recognizing her surroundings instantly, _'It wasn't a dream… Then… did Sephiroth really…?"_

She looked up as the door opened slowly and Lucrecia walked in with a pile of Cloud's clean laundry. She smiled at the younger woman, "You're awake."

"Where's Cloud…?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she hated herself for the neediness in her voice.

Luc set Cloud's laundry on his desk and moved over to sit down on the bed, "He had somewhere to go. He'll be back, though. He promised he would."

"I see…"

"He told me."

Tifa looked back to her face, "Told you what?"

"About your baby. Congratulations."

"Thanks… I think you're the first person to be happy about this."

"You're not?"

She shook her head slowly, "I don't know. I'm already attached to this baby… But if Cloud isn't going to help me with it, I…"

Luc set a hand on her shoulder, "If there's one thing you should know about Cloud, it's that he doesn't abandon his family, whether he shares their blood or not."

"Mm…"

"Vincent and the others are all his family. He'd never abandon one of them for anything. He's the same way -if not more so- with you. He does love you, you know."

"I honestly don't know what to think. I mean, he…"

"I might not be the most observant person, but even I've picked up how he feels about you. He might not even know yet."

"What… what do you mean…?"

"Well, first off, after the two of you started dating, he was happier than I've ever seen him in my life. He was smiling, laughing, joking, heck, talking more than ever. After you guys broke up –and I still don't know why you did- his behavior melted away. Everything, language, attitude, body language… He started using the F-word in every other sentence. It was really bad. It wasn't until about a week and half or two weeks ago that he started getting a little better. At least he wasn't yelling at everyone anymore."

"Luc… You have a right to know… why we broke up."

"Tifa, I don't- It's not that important."

"I don't fully understand it myself… Does the name Sephiroth mean anything to you?"

Her eyes widened a bit before she nodded, "A little."

"Sephiroth… was my ex-boyfriend. Cloud really hates him and it wasn't until somewhat recently that I figured out why… But when Cloud found out I used to date Sephiroth, he flew into a fury and left. We've hardly spoken since."

"You have no idea how much that clears things up."

Tifa looked down, plucking at a stray thread of the blanket, "You know… You really do look a lot like your mother…"

Lucrecia turned to her with wide eyes, "How… How do you…?"

"I was there… I was the _cause_ for your mother's death…" Her lip trembled as she fought the tears, "I'm sorry."

"Tifa. What are you talking about?"

"I… Before Sephiroth and I broke up, he had started to get really forceful with me… He'd push me around and tell me what to do. Once, after we'd gotten lunch, he'd tried to tell me where to go and I fought with him since I'd had plans with someone else. He got really angry and drew his sword, cutting down the nearest passerby…" She cover her mouth with a hand as she broke into tears again, "She was just… just going to get groceries… She shouldn't have…"

"Tifa."

She kept her attention on the bed, "Hm…?"

"My mother knew what was happening. She was still alive when I got to the hospital. She told me everything she wanted Cloud and I to know, like the inheritance of the shop and such, but… she didn't make it long enough to see Cloud. He'd been in school in Sector Four and had to drive out to Sector Six… I think that's why he always seemed to take on all the guilt. He was just… He wanted to say goodbye, but he couldn't."

"Luc… He shouldn't have _had_ to say goodbye so early…"

Luc sighed, "Tifa… There's something Cloud doesn't even know that you should. My mother was saved from torrents of pain by you."

She finally raised her gaze, "What?"

"My mother, Rosācea Strife, was terminally ill. I came home from school before Cloud one day and I overheard her on the phone. She was talking to a doctor and I heard her say something about 'how much time she had left.' She turned and saw me there, and tried to explain after she hung up. She was sick. She had a bad heart… She was on the waiting list for a transplant, but it didn't look too good. She'd had about three years left to live when she… Well, she might be alive right now if that hadn't happened, but she'd be in a lot more pain."

"I… Luc, I…"

"It's okay. I've long resigned myself to the fact that my mother wouldn't be there for a lot of the big moments, Cloud's or my wedding, our children… I'm just happy she didn't have to suffer through all the pain of her heart…"

"Is that why you went into medicine?"

"I'm not that kind of doctor. If I had known about my mother before, I probably would've looked into cardiology, but…"

"You said Cloud didn't know about that, right? Why?"

"When my mother first told me, she made me swear not to tell Cloud… After that, it just didn't seem right. He does have a right to know, and I'll tell him when he gets back, but for now, I thought you needed to know. You're not to blame for my mother's death." She set her hands on the younger woman's shoulders, "Understand?"

She nodded slowly, "Alright. Thank you, Luc… Can I… just ask one thing?"

"Hm?"

"How does Cloud know Sephiroth?"

"That I don't know. He never really mentioned a name before, but ever since last week, I've been wondering what happened between them."

"What happened last week?"

Luc froze, "Um… I think he should tell you that."

"Okay…"

**(Cloud, 10:49 p.m.)**

Cloud swung his now-disassembled First Tsurugi towards his nimble foe, the deafening clang sounding through the alley. Sephiroth pushed back, sending Cloud backwards. He landed a few feet away, sword at the ready, and jumped, holding his blade beside him in a thrusting position. He came down to Sephiroth, feeling the satisfying jerk as his momentum halted suddenly. He opened his eyes to find his sword embedded deep in the silver-haired man's stomach, a smirk on his face.

It took a few seconds for Cloud to register the pain as he looked down, the sight of the Masamune piercing his gut making the moment more real. Sephiroth stood, holding Cloud off the ground, with their swords offering support to each other. Cloud grinned around the blood slipping past his lips, "Bastard in life, fucker throughout; rot in hell while I dance upon your grave." He gripped the hilt and jammed it downwards, making Sephiroth's wound larger than it already was.

Slowly, Sephiroth fell back, dropping Cloud to the ground. Their blades still caught in each other's abdomen. The blond hit the pavement, barely aware of the flames still burning brightly around him as the world faded to black.

* * *

Does anyone remember me saying that one person (at least) gets a happy ending? Well…

Thanks once againto Deaddude221 for Cloud's poetic words to Sephiroth... It sounds a hell of a lot better than my original idea of 'Hah. My sword... is bigger!' So, yeah. Thanks!

I need votes for my assignment! Please help me! Spread the word! I was hoping for at least a hundred, and I have sixteen now… Allow me to offer my heartfelt thanks to those sixteen people. But I need more! Help me!

-Valk


	17. Chapter XVII

Ah… Here we have a big, dramatic chapter! But will there be fluff? Or is it all angsty sorrow?

To mine beloved reviewers!

**Hishin Trueflame**: You know, to the best of my knowledge, FF5 is the only Final Fantasy with a character death where the other characters actually try to use a Phoenix Down and cast Life. Funny, isn't it?

**oodball167**: You think Cloud should have a change in attitude…? Let's see if this change isn't enough… ^_-

**DeeJay****-Dubu**: Quite a few people have commented on the connections between canon and TW. I'm really impressed that they show so well… Though I admit, the Lucrecia humor was more of a joke than anything else…

**nUmbskuLL**: You'd think that with all Cloud's been through, he should be able to see his child…

**vLuna**: Sorry, you said you can't have this one for breakfast tomorrow, but it's not fair to make everyone else wait…

**zackfairfan**: But does Zack _deserve_ the happy ending?

**ohsnapples**: The husky challenge lasts as long as you want! It has to be a grey husky with a white belly, though… ^_^

**mom calling**: That was supposed to a reference to the game… A very poorly chosen one, but we couldn't just make Cloud void of stupidity all at once, could we?

**ken08002**: Sorry, no Omnislash v.6. Would've been cool, but I have no idea how to narrarate something like that… Maybe I'll try someday.

**silverdigger**: Mythology references! Awesome! I love mythology! Norse and Celtic more than Greek/Roman, so the Celtic reference made my day…

**Deaddude221**: Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!! I loved the final line… Even though I did change 'asshole' to 'bastard,' but you said you didn't mind…

**g2Luvmeh**: Yep! Vinny made his dramatic re-appearance! 'The epicness'… An author totally knows they're doing a good job when readers make up words to get their point across. Thank you!

**Valentine'sNinja**: Yay! Cloud's on the right track! He's worming his way back into readers' hearts!

**Fezzy**: I think your chair should be okay for now… You keep your thumbs crossed and I shall remain oblivious!

**everyday-snowangel**: Here you go! Here's an update! Thanks for taking the time to review!

**gingerbreadbear**: Hehe. Yuffie does like to bark at Cloud when he's out of line. Only if Tifa doesn't beat him to it, of course.

**The Lone Wanderer**: Zack and Aeris… At least we know Gast and Ifalna won't be arguing wih their relationship, right?

And, once again, a big thank-you to The Lone Wanderer for editing… This was a pretty tough chapter and I'm so thankful you offered to help all those chapters ago. Thank you!!!

_**Chapter XV**__**II**_

_**Later that Wednesday**__**…**_

The following takes place between 10:55 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.

**(Vincent, 10:56 p.m.)**

Vincent stood in the hallway of the third floor of the complex, Cerberus gripped in his palm, watching out the window as Cloud lunged at Sephiroth. A wave of nausea came over him as he watched the long, thin blade of the Masamune pierce through his best friend's stomach. Acting on impulse, he threw the window open and pulled himself to the fire escape. He leapt off the third floor balcony, landing nimbly on his feet just a few yards from Cloud.

Pointing his weapon at Sephiroth, just in case he wasn't dead, he made his way over to the blond and knelt beside him. He touched two fingers to his friend's neck, feeling for a pulse. Focusing on Cloud's survival, he missed the sound of the approaching footsteps. He looked up a tad too late to find the twin points of Loz's Duel Hound right in his face. _'Oh, shit… _How_ did I miss him coming?'_ he thought, narrowing his crimson eyes at the electrical weapon.

A screeching sound, similar to the sound of nails on a chalkboard, filled the air. Both conscious men looked up at the noise, a grunt coming from the standing man moments later. Vincent turned sharply to find Loz standing awkwardly, a sword jutting from his chest. The dark-haired man took a moment to register what had happened and realized that the sword was a familiar one with two blades. The silver-haired man fell back, stumbling over his cousin's still body, and fell to the ground.

Kadaj ran from the shadows, pausing to pull his Souba from his elder brother's chest and wipe the blood on his pants. He nodded to Vincent as he started to gather the faintly breathing Cloud in his arms. He bit his lip and tugged Cloud's scarf off his arm, holding it ready, and drew the Masamune out of his friend's gut. Cloud gave an unconscious cry of pain before falling completely still. Vincent moved quickly to wrap the scarf around his waist as a makeshift bandage before picking the blond up in his arms and turning towards his car.

Realizing he wasn't being followed, he turned to watch the younger man as he gripped Sephiroth's hair with one hand and held his sword to it with the other. Cutting off about a foot of the silver tresses, he twisted them into a knot and dipped one end into their owner's blood before tucking the strands in his pocket. He sheathed his sword on his back and gripped both hands around the hilt of the First Tsurugi, yanking hard to pull it from Sephiroth's body.

Succeeding, he gathered the other pieces and fit them together before following Vincent to his car. The taller man stood by the door, holding Cloud in both arms, and waited as Kadaj ran forward and opened the backseat. Vincent struggled to get Cloud inside without jostling him too much and laid him across the seat. He climbed in afterwards and knelt on the floor, pressing his right hand to the blond's wound. Slipping his left hand into his pocket, he pulled out the keys and held them over the seat for Kadaj to take.

The younger man climbed into the driver's seat and took the keys from him, silently starting the car and pulling away from the curb. Neither one spoke, unwilling to speak about the possible fate of their companion.

**(Zack, 11:04 p.m./7:04 p.m.)**

Zack walked around the den, scanning the movie titles on the shelf. A smirked crossed his face when he found almost every movie he'd ever played in stacked neatly on the top shelf as if in some sort of monument. He ran a finger along them, listening to Gast talk from his spot on the sofa. The older man laughed, "My wife has developed a bit of a fangirl crush on your work, Zack."

The actor turned, "Seriously?"

Gast shifted the brandy in his hand, "I'm afraid so. Ifalna always acted more like Aeris's sister than her mother."

"Well, I can't say it turn out for the best. Your daughter is a wonderful woman."

He raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Zack, just realizing how that sounded, ran a hand through his hair, "Ah, what I mean is… She's been a very good friend to me."

"Zack, tell me," he leaned over, setting his drink on the coffee table before linking his fingers thoughtfully, "Do you… care… for my daughter?"

He replied without hesitation, "Of course! She's been an awesome friend!"

"I meant… Do you love Aeris?"

Zack froze, staring the middle-aged doctor in the eye. He remembered to breathe and ground his teeth for a brief moment before speaking, "Yes, Dr. Gast. I do love her. But I know she loved Genesis, and I'm willing to wait for her to…" he paused to straighten out his thoughts, "figure out what she wants."

Gast stood and walked over to Zack, looking him in the eye, "I'm going to trust you. I don't care how much fame or money you might have. You hurt my little girl and, I swear, you'll live to regret it."

He nodded seriously, "I understand. I can promise you, though, nothing will happen to her as long as I have something to say about it."

**(Tifa, 11:31 p.m.)**

Tifa sat on Cloud's bed, holding the stuffed wolf she found on it, sitting in silence with Lucrecia. Luc turned to her, "Cloud got that thing when he was three… He carried it everywhere."

Unable to fight it any longer, the tiny smile crept onto Tifa's face as she handled the small husky. She stroked its formally white fur, "Does it have a name?"

Luc shook her head, "No. He never named the poor thing. It was always 'my wolf.' Like if our mom wanted to go shopping, he'd run to his room, calling, 'Let me grab my wolf!' It was so cute. Have you seen pictures of Cloud as a kid yet?"

Tifa shook her head with a laugh, "No… But I imagine he was adorable."

Luc snorted, "You think he's adorable now."

A small smile spread on the brunette's lips, "That's why I'm thinking he was an adorable child."

"Of course. I'll have to see if I can find any pictures-" she cut off at the sound of a repeated thud coming from the main room. Lucrecia stood, "What the…?" She stood and looked out the bedroom door to find the noise coming from the entrance to the apartment. Bustling to the window, she looked out and observed, "That's Vincent's car…"

She ran out to the main room and Tifa could hear the sounds of the door unlocking and swinging open, followed by Luc's shout, "Vincent! What in Minerva's name are you-!?" She gasped, "What the…!? Cloud!"

Tifa felt her heart tighten as Kadaj backed into Cloud's room, holding the blond's feet with Vincent following closely behind, holding him under the arms to support the unconscious man. Together, they managed to get Cloud on the bed, and his head settled on a pillow. Tifa caught sight of the quickly growing patch of red at his center and released a gasp of surprise. She turned to Vincent, "What happened?"

Vincent shook his head, dismissing her while turning to yank Cloud's desk and dresser drawers open to search for something. Kadaj started to help, pulling the closet door open and sifting through everything inside. Lucrecia stuck her hands on her hips, "Vincent Valentine! What the hell happened to my brother!?"

He waved a hand over his shoulder, ignoring her, continuing his search. Absently, he called behind him, "Kadaj! You find any?"

The silver-haired teen looked up with a shake of his head, "No, nothing…"

Lucrecia, on the verge hysterics, screamed, "I want an explanation!"

Tifa, much more softly, spoke while cradling Cloud's hand in hers, "Vincent. What are you looking for?"

He finally paused after turning Cloud's desk inside-out, "Materia. Do either of you know where he kept his materia?"

A blank look crossed the brunettes' faces, the younger voicing, "He had materia?"

"Yeah… You don't know then? Damn it…"

Lucrecia stepped forward, "I think… He always yelled at me for going in his room and told me he'd rip my lungs out through my mouth if I went under his bed. I tried to tell him that'd be impossi-"

Tifa reached out, softly touching the other woman's arm to shut her up, "Luc…"

Vincent dropped to the floor immediately, searching. He came back up a moment later with a metal lockbox. After fiddling with it for a moment, he set the box on the floor and pulled a large handgun out of the holster on his leg. He stepped back and pointed it at the small metal chest before glancing over his shoulder, "Ladies and Kadaj, cover your ears."

Tifa obliged immediately, grabbing a pillow off the bed to help muffle the sound. Lucrecia ducked to the floor, turning her back and jamming her fingers in her ears. Kadaj followed suit and the ear-splitting sound of Vincent's weapon firing went off seconds later. Tifa let out a yelp of surprise, squeezing the pillow over her ears in a futile effort to block the ringing.

Vincent bent down and then rose a minute later with a small orb in his palm, a swirling green mist shifting inside. He moved over, holding it towards Tifa and Luc with a serious expression. The younger girl raised her eyebrows, "What?"

"Materia is stronger when blood relations use it on each other. One of you two will be able to cure him much better than I can."

Tifa shot him a strange look, "What? I'm not…"

"Cloud told me. You're carrying his child. Can't get a much stronger bond than that."

She reached for it, hesitating, "I've… never used materia before…"

"Hurry it up, woman! Unless you want the father of your kid to bleed out before your eyes. Materia's really simple; just concentrate on the desired effect and your target… No fancy gibberish to mumble, despite popular belief."

"O…Okay." She accepted the orb and held it over Cloud's stomach, focusing on healing the man she loved. Vincent reached over, slowly peeling away the blue fabric from his waist. The crisp blood already dried on it made it stiff, causing Tifa to shudder as she laid eyes on the extent of his wound. She closed her eyes to clear her mind and concentrate more fully on her task.

A sensation of warmth spread through her body, creating a feeling of home inside her chest. The small orb in her palm started to heat up, sending her palm into a painful burn. The gentle heat in her chest gave her a soft inspiration, fueling her desire to heal the man before her. Finally, unable to take the sweltering pain in her hand any longer, her eyes snapped open and the green light of magic faded.

Vincent bent down next to Cloud, checking his wound. He gently touched the dried blood around it, softly prodding to see if it had closed. The blond gave an involuntary grunt as the wound was teased, forcing Vincent to stand back. He sighed, "I think he should be okay. If the cut opens again, just cast another Cure on him."

Tifa looked up at him with wide eyes, "Where are you going?"

He glanced at Lucrecia, "To give Luc the explanation she deserves. I'd just say everything now, but I think you need to hear it from Cloud."

Tifa nodded, "Okay. We just wait for him to wake up, then?"

"That's all we can do."

**(Aeris, 12:19 a.m./8:19 p.m.)**

Aeris sat down on the couch with a yawn, "Ugh… I'm tired… It's pretty late by Midgar standards."

Ifalna stuck her lip out, "Are you going to bed already, Rissy?"

"I think so…"

"Aww… But it's still so early!"

"Maybe tomorrow, Mom."

Zack stood from his seat by the coffee table, setting his hand of Uno cards down, "I should probably get to the hotel. It's already dark."

Ifalna waved a hand, "Pft! We have a spare bedroom. Just sleep there."

"You sure? I don't want to intrude…"

"Of course I don't mind! Then I can brag to Meritith that Zack Fair slept in my guest bedroom!"

He smiled, "I can sign a picture as proof if you want."

Aeris slapped his arm with her own hand of Uno cards, "What did I say before leaving?"

"That I'm here as Zack the Friend, not Zack the Actor."

"Exactly."

"I'm just trying to help the lady who's letting me sleep for free!"

"Zack…"

Ifalna giggled, "You two are so cute. But I would love that picture, Zack."

They both blushed at her comment before Zack nodded, "Uh, sure thing, Mrs. F. We can take a group shot tomorrow."

Aeris stood, "Well, I'm gonna turn in… You guys need help with the game?"

Gast shook his head, "No, I think we'll keep playing."

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning, then. Goodnight, Dad!" she leaned down to peck him on the cheek. "Goodnight, Mom!" she wrapped her arms around her mother for a hug and moved to leave.

Zack stood and, with a teasing smile, asked, "What? I don't get a hug?"

Aeris rolled her eyes, "Goodnight, Zack." She turned and headed for the stairs, wanting nothing more than to sleep. Turning towards her room at the top of the stairs, she made her way down the hall and yelped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned sharply to find herself face-to-face with Zack.

He smiled, "Goodnight, Aeris," and leaned down to kiss her softly. He pulled back slowly, smirk still in place, "Okay. I'm happy now. G'night." He turned and opened the door to the guest room and disappeared inside.

Aeris sighed, leaning back against her door, _'Genny… I know… I still love you, but I… I…'_

_**Thurs**__**day…**_

The following takes place between 3:20 a.m. and 4:00 a.m.

**(Cloud, 3:21 a.m.)**

The blackness faded as Cloud slowly found consciousness. The sight before his delirious eyes forced him to raise his left hand towards the face of the angel beside him. He stroked her cheek, feeling her press her face into his touch, and managed croak out, "Heaven…?"

She forced a soft chuckle as she reached up to cup her right hand on his and take his wrist with the other, whispering, "No, Cloud. This isn't heaven. Just your bedroom."

A small smile rose on his pale face, "Then its heaven if you're here."

A relieved expression crossed her face as she turned to press a kiss to his hand, mumbling against it, "Do you have any idea how much you worried me?"

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" He looked her in the eye as her gaze rose to match his and he swallowed before speaking, "Tifa…?"

She hummed her acknowledgement, "Hm?"

"No more secrets?"

"What…?"

"No more secrets between us, okay?"

She gave a quick nod, "Okay. Starting now."

"Tifa… In this case, I have a shitload of explaining to do."

She closed her eyes again and rubbed her cheek on his hand, "I know. I'm listening."

"I guess… It's best just to start…" He took a deep breath, cringing in pain for a moment, and began to speak with a Junon accent, "I am a member of Operation: Hades. We are the lone defense against every crime Sephiroth attempts to commit."

Her jaw dropped, "That was _you_?"

He nodded slowly, "My codename is Fenrir, and this tattoo-" he raised his free hand to rub the mark on his shoulder, "is the proof."

She looked down, "You… lied to me."

"No, Tifa, I didn't. I kept secrets, but I never lied," he curled his fingers to caress her jaw.

A new realization hit her, "So then Vincent…? And Kadaj? Yuffie? They're all…?"

Cloud nodded slowly, "Yeah. They're all members."

With tears in her eyes, she asked, "Why…? How did you get to this life?"

He sighed, mulling his response over in his mind, "Two years ago, my mother was killed by Sephiroth. The year before that, Vincent's brother sacrificed himself to let the rest of us escape from an ambush. He was killed by that bastard… No mercy. A little bit later, Vincent's other brother -he was a year younger me- committed suicide. He looked up to his oldest brother with a freakish dedication… When Weiss died, Nero couldn't take it. He… found Vincent's gun and…"

"I see. I… I never would've guessed by the way Vincent acts…"

"Vincent learned not to let it get him down. He was a wreck for awhile after it happened, but after some time, he just stood up and decided not to brood." He let out a strangled chuckle, "Guess I should've learned from him, huh?"

"Cloud… I… There's something you need to know…"

He shifted his hand to touch his finger to her lips, "Let me finish. I've already taken too long to tell you all this."

She nodded slowly, "Okay."

Lying back in his pillow, he closed his eyes to get his thoughts in order when the bedroom door opened. Vincent leaned in, "Oh, you're awake. How ya doin'?"

Cloud opened his eyes to look at his best friend, "I've been better."

"No shit."

"I'll live."

"Good." He moved to leave, then paused, "Your right pocket."

"Huh?" Cloud reached down and slipped his hand in his pocket as Vincent ducked out. The blond called after him, "Thanks!"

Tifa looked to the blond, "Okay. Tell me everything."

He nodded, "Tifa… I… I did something… The last thing you wanted me to do…"

A curious look came to her eyes, "You slept with another woman?"

He shook his head against the pillow, "No… I… I killed someone."

She gasped, releasing his hand to clap both of hers over her mouth, "Cloud… You said you didn't…"

"That's because I hadn't. I didn't lie when I told you I never killed. It was… since then. Here," his fingers closed around the item in his pocket and he pulled it out to hand it to her.

She took it curiously, "Cloud…? What's with the thread and wax?"

"It's not thread _or_ wax. Look closer."

She squinted, examining the silken strands in the dark of the bedroom. Finally, she let out a yelp and tossed it away from her, "Cloud… That's…"

"It's custom when one gang defeats the leader of another, they cut off a portion of the leader's hair and soak one end in their blood. It's the proof that they defeated them."

"Cloud… What are you saying…?"

"Sephiroth won't be bothering you -or anyone else- ever again."

"You… killed him?"

The blond averted his gaze, "He hurt you and he threatened to do it again. I… It's the only way I know how to protect someone."

Her lip trembled and tears welled up in her eyes, "Cloud…! I… Thank you. I know I said I hate violence, but… Sephiroth… He wanted to hurt my baby." She shook her head, letting her tears fall, "Our baby."

"Tifa… There's something else. I swear to you, I didn't know when I… walked away."

"What is it, Cloud?"

"I… I met my father… I didn't…" He dropped his head into the pillow, closing his eyes, "Damn it. I'm so sorry, Tifa, I…"

She reached out, setting a hand on his shoulder, "Cloud? What is it?"

"It's Sephiroth… He's…"

She paused, uncertain, "What? He's what, Cloud? You father?"

He looked at her incredulously, "No! He's… My father's name is Hojo Crescent… He's Sephiroth's father, too."

"Wait, you mean… Sephiroth… is… your brother?"

"Half-brother. We had different mothers, but it really doesn't change the fact that I… I didn't have the right to… Goddess, Tifa, I have no idea how you can sit right here next to me without attempting to throttle me…"

A small smile came back to her lips, "Cloud… I never blamed you for leaving. Maybe… for not looking back, but I…"

"Why, Tifa?"

"Hm?"

"Why didn't you blame me? I…"

"Cloud, I realized… If I found out that you had dated the woman who was responsible for my mother's death, I probably would've reacted the same way."

"It's no excuse for the way I treated you. I… I'm sorry, Tifa. I…"

She reached out to stroke his cheek, "Cloud…"

"Tifa… I doubt it if you'll ever be able to forgive me…"

"I told you, there's nothing I can forgive."

He nodded slowly, "I see."

A panicked look crossed her face, "No! Cloud, that's not what I meant. I meant, since I never blamed you, I don't need to forgive you." She kept her eyes down, staying silent for a long moment, but raised them to look at him dead-on before asking, "Cloud? Do you love me?"

He felt his heart constrict at the sadness in her voice before raising his eyes to meet hers and whispered in the dark room, "Yes."

She averted her gaze for a brief moment and licked her lips to moisten them, "Say it."

He reached over, slowly grasping her left hand in his and gave her fingers a brief squeeze, "I love you, Tifa Lockhart. I love everything about you; your smile, your voice, your laugh, your gentleness, your ambition, your stubbornness, your grace, your courage, your spitfire attitude, your… your eyes. I love your eyes. I love _you_, Tifa."

She sniffled, grasping a hand to her heart, "Cloud… I love you, too! I…" She broke down, succumbing to her impending tears for a moment. Cloud reached up, gently brushing her tears away with soft fingertips as she struggled to collect herself. She took a deep breath, "Cloud… Where does this leave us?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat, "I… already told you I'd help with the baby…"

"I know…" She gave him a small smile, "But now…?"

He looked up again, meeting her gaze, "Tifa…" He paused and snapped his fingers, a new thought occurring to him. He stretched his arm up and grasped for the drawer of his nightstand, cringing in pain as he strained his wound.

Tifa reached out to touch his shoulder, "Cloud, stop it! I can get whatever you need…"

He managed to get the drawer open and dug his hand inside, "No, Tifa. I have to do this."

She watched with a pained expression, "Cloud…"

His fingers closed around the desired object and he drew back, sighing when the pain relaxed in his stomach. He kept the small item closed in his palm and turned to Tifa, "I don't think I can say it enough… I love you."

"Cloud…" she ghosted her fingers over his stomach, "Are you okay?"

He set his free hand on hers, "I'll live… Tifa. I… I need to know something."

She shifted her hand to hold his, "What is it, Cloud?"

"I…" He showed her the small ring he'd dug out, the wolf-like carving stared back as her eyes moved to it. He swallowed the lump in his throat, "I know it's not much, and I promise I'll get you something nicer as soon as I can actually move again, but I don't think this can wait."

Her ruby-tinted orbs moved back to his face, her lips parted in dumbfounded surprise, "Cloud…? What are you-?"

He squeezed her hand still in his and took a breath to gather his courage, "Tifa? Will you… Will you marry me?"

She released an audible gasp, "Cloud…! I… Of course I will!"

He pulled her hand closer, slipping the ring he'd outgrown years ago on her left ring finger. He released her hand and bent his elbows to prop himself up, groaning in pain as reached a slightly inclined angle.

Tifa stretched her arms out, attempting to push him back down, speaking with urgency in her voice, "Cloud, what are you doing? Whatever you need, I can get it for you…"

He gave a lopsided grin, "I thought it was the perfect opportunity to kiss you."

She smiled back, "Cloud, I can come to you."

"But then I wouldn't be kissing you."

"I'll let you initiate it… this time."

His smirk grew as he dropped back to the pillows, "I can deal with that."

She shook her head and stuttered a laugh, extending her legs out to lie down beside him. Resting her head on his outstretched arm, she snuggled against him and looked up at him expectantly. Wasting no time, he bent down a little and captured her lips quickly and effectively. He wrapped his left arm around her back, bringing his hand to rest on her hip and brought his right up to burrow in her hair. Sucking in a breath during a brief parting, he closed the gap between them through another kiss without delay.

He pulled back after a long moment and smiled against her lips, "Goddess, I've missed you."

She managed a laugh and bumped her forehead to his, whispering, "I missed you, too." She sat up suddenly, turning back to look at Cloud with a hesitant smile. Taking his hand in hers, she lifted the hem of her shirt and pressed his palm to her stomach.

He swallowed, unsure of what to do next, "Tifa…" Finally, he gave a little smile and fanned his fingers out on her flesh, touching more of their unborn child then before.

Her smile grew and her grip tightened on his hand, "Cloud… This is… our baby…"

"I know… Tifa?"

"Hm?"

"Can I be completely honest with you?"

"No more secrets, right?"

He nodded, "In all honesty, the idea of… being a dad… It scares the hell out of me."

She raised her gaze to look at him more fully, "And you think I'm not scared?"

"I never said that… I just… wanted you to know. But I'll… I'll still be here. I want you to know that, too."

"Promise?"

"Yeah. Promise."

She twisted the ring on her finger, "Are you sure you want this?"

"What? To marry you?"

"Well… Yeah."

"Tifa… I've never been more sure of anything." He moved his hand from her stomach to her wrist and pulled, bringing her back down beside him. She released a gasp of surprise as she fell, ending up against his side again. He bent down to kiss her, pausing just before connecting and whispered, "Move in with me?"

She looked up at him, "What…?"

"We're engaged, you're pregnant, you're living in your best friend's garage… It'd make sense for you to move here."

"Cloud…" She buried her hands in his hair and brought him closer to whisper against his lips, "I'd love to."

He smiled, "It's gonna get cramped here…"

"Hm?"

"Five -going on six- people living in a tiny little three-room apartment…"

"Six? It's just me, you, Luc, and the baby, right?"

"I already told Vincent he could move in since he spent the last seven years bed-hopping to stay off the streets, and I imagine where you go, Marlene goes, too."

She snuggled against him, "You were totally worth waiting for."

After a brief silence, he whispered, "Tifa?"

She looked up, "Hm?"

"I love you."

**Fin**

**Or… not…?**

* * *

What I mean is… This marks the end of the regular story… however… However…! I will have a number of epilogues from each character's point-of-view, just to show all the highlights of the next year or so (You all know what that means, don't you?)

And, since I may or may add epilogues for no apparent reason years from now, I'll give my special thanks now:

Valentine'sNinja, DEORUDS the WEAPONS Seven!, -SiMpLe-reActioN-, The Lone Wanderer, kitsune13, LittlexMissile, Epic Popcorn, mira ff, Rukichigo93, Master of Catdoken, g2Luvmeh, nUmbskuLL, Deaddude221, vLuna, Rikku-rebeca, caledon, ohsnapples, zackfairfan, mom calling, Truth-Unspoken, DeeJay-Dubu, Dawn. Fire. Angel, Fairheartstrife, Fezzy, Soloros, oodball167, ken18002, Hishin Trueflame, silverdigger, everyday-snowangel, and gingerbreadbear for reviewing throughout this adventure!

-siMpLe-reActiON-, cherrypudding, Optimistic Pessimist, Valentine'sNinja, Black-Vengence, Epic Popcorn, Truth-Unspoken, g2Luvmeh, nUmbskuLL, Amu123, Rikku-rebeca, Hitman 49, ohsnapples, Senkita, zackfairfan, City of Dis, DeeJay-Dubu, .Angel, KawiiBear, lovelymokotan27, Fezzy, Soloros, chocobo strife90, HarvestMoon131, everyday-snowangel for favorite-ing!

Valentine'sNinja, nUmbskuLL, free the sky's Clouds, The Lone Wanderer, kitsune13, Hello-blondie, Thedanceofcandyfairy, g2Luvmeh, vLuna, Black Love of Hell, caledon, conorlover, mom calling, Truth-Unspoken, Sheiky, DeeJay-Dubu, 11tiggers, .Angel, ken08002, Hishin Trueflame, angelbeautiful12, Writer Chica, everyday-snowangel, gingerbreadbear for alerting!

Thank you to everyone else who has read the story from the shadows. I know you're there, and you're not forgotten!

Very special thanks to:

The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing all these chapters and helping me with all my problems! I can't thank you enough! But here's a Zack plushie to start…

Deadude221 for writing all those poetry lines for me.

mira ff, Truth-Unspoken, Bahamut-Queen, and Thirteen Day Rule for being my friends through it all. Aw, shoot. vLuna, thanks to you, too!

ohsnapples for helping me with YouTube.

And, finally, a very special thank-you to… Valentine'sNinja for reviewing every chapter! Would it be awkward to say 'I love you'? Too bad. I love you! (In a friend way)

See you in the epilogues!

Review?

-Valk


	18. Chapter XVIII

Sigh. It's been so long… I barely remember how I do this. I'm really-very-super-duper-ultra-you-know-what-I-mean-by-now sorry for taking so long. College is evil. I swear.

Anyway, though I've been calling these next few chapters 'epilogues' when chatting with you guys, I think I'm going to sort these as 'Book II.' Right now, I'm planning on fourteen, so… I might cut another one, though. Maybe not. The difference between Book I and Book II is pretty much the transition between drama and fluff. Enjoy!

Oh, and I seriously can't remember what I said in review-replies, so if repeat myself, please don't hate me.

**mom calling**: I love that bench! Awesome. You like Reno? Rest assured, there'll be an epilogue from his POV.

**ken08002**: Just because I'm so scatterbrained, the baby's birth won't come for a good few more chapters… Bear with me, please.

**gingerbreadbear**: It's a party for Cloti! w00t!

**DeeJay-Dubu**: Well, here's the next part! Sephy's had a long time to rant about his hair. You'd think he'd get over it by now.

**oodball167**: Right now, I'm thinking Zack's epilogue is next…

**Oreramar**: I'm pretty sure I mentioned this, but I didn't even notice how abrupt the Zack-Aerith ending was in the last chapter… Book II will make up for that. Promise.

**silverdigger**: At this rate, this story will probably go on for another year…

**vLuna**: What more can I say to you? Well, I'm sorry you didn't have this for breakfast, but I forgot I had to add my notes.

**Truth-Unspoken**: It's not over yet! You're stuck with me for a few chapters more!

**ohsnapples**: How's that husky picture going?

**Valentine'sNinja**: Aw, thanks! We'll see about Genny… I do have something in mind for him… ^_-

**everyday-snowangel**: Yee-haw! C'mon! Join in the Cloti pahtay!

**Deaddude221**: I still have a few more plot bunnies in mind! Honestly. The day those finally leave me alone is the day I fall off a bridge… and don't come back out.

**g2Luvmeh**: More Zack/Aerith to come! …Eventually! The Cloti party is in full swing!

**Fezzy**: I tried. I really did. I don't think I had as many people fooled as I wanted, but I did try! I think your chair ought to be okay from here on out.

**mira ff**: Would you believe that part of CC completely escaped my mind when I wrote Cloud's 'Heaven?' comment? It wasn't until I went back and reread reviews for inspiration almost a week after getting your review that I got what you meant…

**zackfairfan**: Again. I said at _least_ one person gets a happy end. I think everyone kind of did.

**nUmbskuLL**: Hrm. I hope Book II doesn't ruin it…

**SorrowsFlower**: Better late than never! If/when you catch up, I get the feeling you won't be as undecided about the Cloti vs. Fack deal…

And another thank-you to The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing! This is the part where I would complain about how long you took, but I am in absolutely no position to be judging…

* * *

_**Book II**_

_**Chapter XVIII**_

_**Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie**_

_**Three Weeks Later… June 26th.**_

_**Friday**__**…**_

The following takes place between 10:15 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

**(Tifa, 10:18 a.m.)**

Tifa ran into her bedroom and leapt onto the bed, waking the blond man still sleeping. He gave a groggy groan and glanced at her through squinted eyes to see her ridiculously happy smile. Rolling onto his side to look at her more fully, he mumbled, "Tifa? What's up?"

She grinned wider and pulled her t-shirt up to show her stomach, "Look, Cloud!"

He forced himself to sit up, giving an involuntary grunt from his recent wound, "What?"

She grabbed his hand and pressed his palm to her belly, "I'm starting to show!"

He swallowed his spit and moved his hand to feel, "Are you sure…?"

"Yes, I'm sure! You can't tell?"

"Um… Not… really…"

"Cloud!"

"What? Give me a few minutes to wake up, okay?"

"Oh, fine! Just make sure you-" She paused mid-sentence, clapping a hand to her mouth and raising her other in a 'just a sec' manner before darting towards the bathroom.

**(Biggs, 11:03 a.m.)**

Biggs sat on the couch in their base, pretending to listen to Wedge's inventory of materia. Kadaj walked over and leaned on the back of the sofa, holding a bottle of water towards the other man. He accepted with a nod, "Thanks, Kadaj." He twisted the cap off and took a long drink, "You know, I didn't honestly believe it at first when Cloud told us you guys were related."

The younger man clambered over to sit on the back of the couch, feet resting on the cushions, "It does seem pretty far-fetched… But we aren't related by blood. His father married my father's sister, so…"

"Yeah, I get it, but it's still pretty weird. When're Vincent and Cloud getting here, anyway?"

"Cloud called me… He said they should get here around noon. Tifa's morning sickness kicked in… again."

"Yeah… Imagine that. Cloud's the first one to have a kid out of us. Personally, I would've thought Vincent given his former escapades."

Kadaj chuckled, "One would think. Speaking of which… How serious are you with Jessie?"

The dark-haired man choked on his water before spitting it on the concrete floor. He raised his gaze back to Kadaj's, "Why do you ask?"

"I'm curious."

"Why don't you get a girlfriend and _then_ we'll talk."

He looked down at his hands, "It's not because I don't want one…"

"Ah, don't worry. You'll find the right girl eventually."

"Which brings me back to my original question…"

"If you must know… I have no idea. We've been dating for years, but I've never really given any thought to moving a step forward. I doubt it if she has, either."

"I see. Well, you'll figure out what you want eventually."

"And who are you to be giving relationship advice?"

"A silent observer in all things Vincent and Cloud."

"Gotcha."

"So, what do you think Tifa will decide?"

"I don't know… She's pretty unpredictable, but since it's Cloud…"

"Yeah. I guess we'll find out, eh?"

He took a drink of his water, "Guess so."

**(Aeris, 11:26 a.m.)**

Aeris shifted back and forth with three-pound weights in her hands, the barking orders of her personal trainer shouting in her ears. She huffed her breath in and out, _'Who knew becoming an actress was so much work? I wonder where Zack is… He promised he'd come and save me.'_

As if on cue, the door to the mini-gym opened and Zack walked inside, hands in his pockets and whistling. He grinned at the sight of the brunette in black sweats and a pink work-out bra, "Heya, Aer! Wassup?"

She wheezed out between breaths, "You… said you'd… come by… earlier…"

He scratched the back of his head, "Sorry! I had my own agent to deal with…"

"I've… been… going at… this… since… seven… this morning…"

"I said I was sorry… Besides, the first few days are always a bit tough." He pulled a chair from the side of the room and sat on it backwards, "You'll get used to it. I promise."

"That's not… helping… right now…"

He grinned, "Don't worry. I'm here to get you out of here."

"Good… It's… about… time…"

"The director of 'Two Princes' wants to audition you for a part. A reoccurring character, no less."

"Really…? I thought… I told… you… I didn't… want… help…"

"I didn't give you any. Miss Rui saw your work with 'Shattered' and wanted you. It was only because we'd already worked together that she asked me for my opinion. I told her we were friends and that I'd talk to you about it. So, what d'you say?"

"I… need… a… shower… But… then I'd… be glad… to… try out…"

"Great! I'll call the director for… What time?"

She glanced at the clock on the wall, "Give me… an hour…"

**(Jessie, 11:32 a.m.)**

Jessie walked down the front steps of her apartment building, dragging Yuffie along after her. Since the two women lived just across the hall from each other, they often walked to the base together. The older woman dragged the younger, complaining, "Come on, Yuffie! Today's the day! Don't you want to see her decision?"

She sighed pathetically, "Well, yeah, but…"

"But…?"

"But I wanted to spend today with Reno!"

"Too bad. Today's an important one. And who knows? You and Reno ever commit and maybe he'll get the same option."

The younger girl brightened, "You think?!"

"Sure. If Vincent and Luc ever actually get serious, maybe Luc can join, too."

"Nice!"

"…So?"

"What?"

"Are you and Reno serious?"

Her shoulders sagged, "I don't know… I mean, he asked me if I wanted to get serious, but I haven't decided yet."

"What's there to decide? Either you like him or you don't."

"What about you and Biggs?"

"We aren't talking about me and Biggs. We're talking about you and Reno."

"Nuh-uh! C'mon! What's the big secret? You guys have been together since high school… You've gotta be pretty serious if you're still together…"

She shrugged, "We're happy where we are. We don't need all the fuss that comes with all the seriousness."

Yuffie pouted and faced forward, lacing her fingers behind her head while walking, "Bo-ring!"

**(Wedge, 12:21 p.m.)**

Wedge and Biggs dragged one of the mattresses to the gathering section of the base and dropped it on the ground with a loud 'thud.' Yuffie jumped and glared, "Geez. Give some warning next time."

Kadaj walked over, helping Jessie with another mattress, "Why? You're the one sitting on your rear while we make more sitting room for everyone."

She stuck her tongue out, "Nyah!"

Kadaj looked up, "Oh, yeah… When Cloud called, he said to give everyone a heads-up."

Biggs sighed, "For what?"

"He said Tifa's getting to be pretty emotional and _asked_ all of us to be careful what we say around her."

Wedge nodded and dropped down on one of the mattresses, "I guess we just wait for the Boss and the others…"

The sound of a car door slamming out front signaled the arrival of said group members. The entrance to the base opened and Vincent walked in, decked out in his regular black. Cloud came in behind him with Tifa sitting on his back piggy-back style. Tifa looked around curiously, "So, this is Hades' domain…"

Cloud looked up at her as best he could, "We usually just call it the base."

Yuffie released a rather un-lady-like snort and asked, "Hey, Cloud! Aren't you afraid she's going to barf in your hair?"

He backed up to the couch and dropped Tifa down easily before taking the seat next to her and glaring at the teen, "No."

Tifa giggled, "I've gotten pretty good at holding it in for a bit." She snuggled into her fiancé's side and asked him, "Can I barf on her if I feel another wave?"

Cloud laughed at that, "Be my guest."

"So," Jessie dropped down on a mattress between Biggs and Yuffie, "Have you two decided on a day for the big day?"

Cloud glanced at Tifa for a second and shrugged, "Not really… We decided to wait until after the baby was born, though."

Kadaj walked through everyone with a case of beer, handing them out and giving Tifa a water bottle when he got to her, "How come?"

Tifa shrugged a little, looking inside her water bottle, "This sucks…" She looked up, "Huh?"

Wedge gave a little smile, "Why wait?"

"Oh…" the brunette blushed, "It's just… I don't want to look back on our wedding pictures and think that we only got married because I'm pregnant. I want it to be remembered because we both wanted it and are happy with it."

"You mean…" Yuffie took a drink of her beer, "You don't want to be fat for your wedding?"

Tifa looked down, biting her lip, while Cloud glared at the Wutaian teen and tightened his hold on Tifa's shoulders, "Shut the hell up, Yuffie."

She clapped a hand over her mouth, "Oops. I'm sorry, Teef. I didn't mean…"

Wedge gave a shot at changing the subject, "So, you guys know what gender the baby is?"

Tifa managed a smile of pride, "No… We decided to wait until it's born."

Vincent smirked, "Hoping for one way or the other?"

She nudged Cloud in the gut with her elbow, "I think he wants a boy, but he hasn't said it yet."

The blond turned to her, "I told you, I don't care what it is."

"So you say, but…"

"I can tell you right now that Vincent boldly stated he wants a nephew." He made air-quotations around the word 'nephew' to show the figurative meaning behind it.

Kadaj gave a secretive smile, "I hope it's a girl. I think Cloud would make the perfect protective dad. I can just see him now… Scaring away prospective boyfriends with your frickload of swords."

Cloud leaned forward in his seat a little, "Damn right!"

Tifa laughed a little, "That is pretty easy to imagine…"

Wedge laughed along with everyone before clearing his throat a little, "So, Tifa? Have you decided?"

She inhaled to calm her laughter and leaned back against Cloud, "Yeah. I… want to take you guys up on your offer. I mean, you said it's more honorary than anything else… Plus, I want to look to the future with all of you guys around me as my family."

Vincent pushed himself off the table where he'd been leaning, "Well said. Now…" he walked over the cabinet on the side and pulled an ink gun from the inside, "Are you ready?"

She nodded seriously, "Yeah."

He set the gun on the table and touched two fingers to his chin in exaggerated thought before cracking a mischievous grin, "I have the perfect name in mind."

"Uh-oh," Cloud let the fear show in his eyes, "That's never a good sign."

His smirk grew, "Gleipner."

Kadaj and Biggs broke into laughter while Cloud let out a groan of annoyance. Tifa looked around, confused, with Yuffie quick to state, "What? I don't get it."

Vincent raised a hand to hide his smile and cleared his throat, "According to Norse mythology, Gleipner was the silken ribbon crafted by the dwarves at the gods' request… While delicate in appearance, it was the only object in existence capable of-" he laughed, doing a poor job of hiding it, "-restraining Fenrir."

Wedge, Biggs, Jessie, Kadaj, Yuffie, and Vincent burst out laughing at once, all present knowing how accurate the description was. Cloud looked over at Tifa out of the corner of his eye and, when he saw her laughter, gave in to his own and chuckled with his family. Tifa tapped a finger to her chin, "Gleipner, huh?"

Cloud raised his eyebrows with worry in his gaze, "You're not seriously considering that, are you?"

She giggled, "Why not? It's accurate. Just as you're the wolf who ate the hand that didn't feed him…"

"What's that supposed to mean!?"

"That you're a grumpy jerk who gets cranky when things don't go your way."

"Tifa!"

She laughed, "What? It's true."

"I thought couples were supposed to support each other?"

"No… Well, yes, but… We also get to ridicule each other because we know, no matter what, that we'll still be there for each other. At least in our case."

"Yeah, I know."

The rest of the group present all gagged at once as Cloud leaned over Tifa to kiss her. Yuffie shouted, "C'mon! Get a room!"

Without breaking off the kiss, Cloud raised a hand and flipped her the bird. Biggs laughed, "Almost makes you want to leave them alone… or kick them out to do it somewhere else."

They all watched while waiting for their friends to finish up. Vincent finally raised the ink gun and knocked his metal-plated hand against the fold-out table behind him. "So… You kids about done?"

Cloud finally pulled back and leaned into the couch without a trace of shame. Tifa blushed a bit before nodding. She paused and bit her lip, "This… This won't hurt the baby, will it?"

"Nah. I asked Luc and she said she never heard of anything like that. It _will_ hurt you for a little while."

Her face paled slightly and Cloud wrapped his arm back around her shoulders, "It doesn't hurt that bad."

Yuffie snorted, "Yeah, Mr. Mako-blood!"

Biggs shrugged, "She has a point. Your blood gives you an edge we don't -or can't- have."

Kadaj nodded, "Cloud inherited the mako from his father… I share the blood on Sephiroth's mother's side…"

Tifa looked up, "You mean… Sephiroth had mako in his blood?"

Cloud nodded once, "We were always wondering why I was stronger than everyone else… My eyes have the glow, too, so we were always joking around that I had mako. It wasn't until I beat everyone else in a six-on-one sparring match that we figured I really _did_ have mako. Luc said it was impossible without those god-awful expensive treatments, but apparently it's genetic, too. We always knew Sephiroth had it."

Kadaj nodded his agreement, "My aunt got the treatments as a teenager. Grandpa was a rich senator from Nibelheim, so he could afford it. Both of Sephiroth's parents had the treatments."

Tifa nodded slowly, "Can mako be… dangerous?"

Cloud looked at her, concern forming a wrinkle on his brow, "What d'you mean?"

"Does it have any downsides? Like, does it shorten lifespan or anything?"

Cloud tightened his grip on her shoulders again, "Not that I know of. I started researching it once I figured I had it in me. I couldn't find anything like that."

She rested a hand on her stomach, "Any downsides? Any at all?"

A light entered Cloud's unnaturally blue eyes as understanding hit him. He pressed a kiss to her temple, "Nothing."

She smiled up at him, "Good."

"Oh, great," Yuffie rolled her eyes, "They're gonna get all lovey-dovey again, aren't they?"

Tifa took the liberty of flipping their friend off this time before wrapping her arms around Cloud's shoulders and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. Jessie mouthed off sarcastically, "And they said it wouldn't last."

* * *

Sigh. I know I'm incredibly late… and the next one might not be out until winter break. If I'm lucky, I might have it for Thanksgiving break… For those of you, like my (American) classmate, who don't know, Thanksgiving is next week.

I'm terrible, I know. Any guesses on whose chapter is after Zack's?

Review if you think I'm slower than a turtle crawling through wet cement!

-Valk


	19. Chapter XIX

Ugh… I fail. I fail so much that it hurts to think about it. This took me so long because I was going to change this chapter from Zack's to Aerith's. I figure Zack should've had more fun, but I just kept putting off rewriting the chapter… My beta edited this version, like, a month ago. I'm really sorry for the delay and I promise Happy-Zack will be back in later chapters. I have another good excuse, though! I was out for about three weeks over winter break because I had my wisdom teeth removed and I was up on some heavy meds… Try writing in that state-of-mind.

Gleipner seemed to go over well among the readers. I was just looking through the myth of Fenrir and that caught my eye. I couldn't resist.

A note for my wonderful reviewers… If you're still here…

**vLuna**: 'Update soon'… Uh-huh, sure. Yup. _Real_ soon.

**Valentine'sNinja**: Heh. Well, you know there'll be more Genny in other fics… I'm working on one as we speak(Literally).

**ohsnapples**: Well, like I said… No time limit on the pic. Just let me know when it's done and send me a link so I can share, okay?

**ken08002**: I owe you my thanks for the idea. I agree that Cloud would be the perfect protective dad. However, I did have the baby's gender selected from long before you suggested that, so don't all of you go off, assuming it's going to be a girl now.

**silverdigger**: Well, what can I say? I'm a sucker for anything Cloti. I had to include a sweet moment between them…

**mom calling**: I officially have a total number of chapters. There'll be a total of thirty. The good news is that I already have another four almost done (albeit not the next four, but that's beside the point…)

**g2Luvmeh**: I've been there… Hopefully there'll be some Zeris comments for you in this one ^_-

**Truth-Unspoken**: Hehe… Yep. Teefie joined up with Operation: Hades. Though with Seph dead, they really don't have a mission anymore… And were you grumbling at me?

**DeeJay-Dubu**: Well, thank ken for that bit. The inspiration for protective-dad-Cloud came from them :)

**oodball167**: Hopefully this bit of Zeris/th will help to equal out the overdose of Cloti. Oh, and Vincent's chapter _is_ one of the four I have started.

**The Lone Wanderer**: "Cloud, Tifa, Luc, Vincent, Marlene, and a baby living under one roof. THAT'S gonna get a little hectic." _That's_ the understatement of the year. But, technically, it was the understatement of last year… *Shrugs* Oh, well.

**SakR9**: *Scratches head* Hm, well, I don't know if you're still following or not, but, well, I'm fairly certain you've discovered who 'Genny' is by now…

**zackfairfan**: Only took me two-and-a-half months…

T_T I fail so badly… Thank you for proofing this way back there, Wanderer… I owe you my very soul… Go talk to the lord of demons down in hell about getting it.

I want to give a freaking awesome hug and lots of "Thankyouthankyouthankyou's" to everyone who's still following this… I love you all sooo much…!!! T_T

One with the show then, eh?

* * *

_**Chapter XIX  
**__**Zack**_

_**One Month Later… July 25th.**_

_**Saturday**__**…**_

The following takes place between 9:45 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

**(Zack, 9:49 p.m.)**

Zack walked through the hotel ballroom with a glass of scotch in hand, scouring the room for a particular brunette. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted a different one in a sapphire blue gown. A grin came across his features as he crept up behind her, tapping her on the shoulder. She yelped and turned around, placing a hand over her heart as she recognized him. "Oh, Zack! You scared me!"

He grinned wider. "Sorry, Tifa. Didn't mean to."

"You know it's not healthy to scare a pregnant woman."

His eyebrows rose as he noticed the slight bulge at her middle. "You've been busy." His grin came back. "Is it mine?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm not even going to answer that."

He laughed. "Anyway, first, congratulations. Second, I'm glad you could make it! I know the invite was a little last-minute…"

"It's alright. We didn't have any other plans for today."

"So, a baby? Really?"

Her eyes narrowed as she made a face. "No, I'm just wearing padding for the hell of it."

"Geez, Tifa… No need to get all snippy…"

**(Cloud, 10:02 p.m.)**

Cloud sighed with relief as the caterer finally handed him two fruit punches. It was as if everyone in the ballroom decided to get a drink at that exact moment. He made his way through the crowd towards where he left his fiancée to find her talking to a tall man with dark hair. Tapping her on her bare shoulder, he held out one of the glasses. "Here, Teef. It was the only thing they had without alcohol."

She smiled and leaned closer to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks, Cloud."

The dark-haired man scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, if I'd known there was going to be a pregnant woman here, I would've made sure they had more selection… My bad."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "And you are…?"

"Oh!" Tifa looked back and forth between them. "You two haven't met, have you? Cloud, this is Zack Fair. Zack, this is my fiancé, Cloud Strife."

Zack held his hand out. "I heard through the grapevine that you'd gotten engaged, Tifa. Nice to meet you, Cloud!"

Cloud shifted his glass to his other hand to accept the gesture. "Uh, yeah. You, too."

Tifa moved over to settle into Cloud's side and his hand moved up to hug her waist automatically. He leaned down to press a kiss to her hair, visually tracing the scar on her chest kept hidden from her specifically chosen gown. The narrow sleeves just perfectly covered it, keeping her appearance on-par with the rest of the crowd, yet also keeping her marred flesh hidden. The long gloves ran up her arms and hid her recently acquired tattoo of a simple ribbon on her upper arm with the word 'Gleipner' printed beneath it.

**(Zack, 10:15 p.m.)**

Zack made small talk with Tifa and her fiancé for a moment before his mind finally realized where he'd heard his name before. Cutting off their previous conversation, he blurted, "Ohh… That's it!"

Confusion spread on Cloud's face and surprise on Tifa's. The latter asked, "Huh?"

Zack pointed towards Cloud. "I get it now! You're the guy that one song is about, right?"

They sat in silence for a minute before Tifa finally responded, "Oh, you mean 'Cloud's Song (The Darkness of His Eyes)'? Yeah, he is."

Cloud shrugged a little. "Why do you ask?"

"Ah, no reason! I just knew I'd heard your name before an' it was driving me crazy trying to figure out where I did."

Cloud nodded once. "Oh."

A perky voice sounded out behind him. "Zack! There you are!"

He turned on his heel with a grin. "Aer! There you are!"

Aeris scowled. "Don't give me that. You dumped me with the press and I find you chattering away?!"

"Aer…"

"Aeris?"

Zack and Aeris both looked over towards Cloud, who stood with an eyebrow cocked. "What are doing here for?"

She pursed her lips. "That should be my question, Cloud! What are _you_ doing here for?"

He pulled Tifa against him a little more. "Zack sent an invitation to Tifa, here, and she brought me as her date."

"Oh. I, um, was in the movie."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The premiere was supposed to be weeks ago, but they had to delay the release due to 'unforeseen difficulties.' I think the music department just screwed up and recorded the wrong sheet music."

"What part did you play? I don't remember you being in there…"

"I was Milidea Crowley. Ty Garcia's one-night stand. Lovely first role, huh?"

"That was _you?_ I didn't even recognize you…"

"Yeah… I guess Angeal was right… Their make-up artists are geniuses."

Zack noticed Tifa flinch ever-so-slightly at the mention of Angeal. He wasn't sure, but he thought Cloud's hold on her tightened at the same time.

Cloud continued, "I did, however, recognize the Lucky Girl."

Aeris laughed a little. "Yeah, they didn't really change much. If you'd shown up, you could've had a cameo."

"That's okay. I've never really been keen on publicity. 'Sides," he grinned, "I spent the weekend getting shot down by my would-be fiancée."

Tifa rammed her elbow into his stomach. "Hey! That was just the first night! And, if I recall correctly, I made up for it the next day."

The blond man's face flushed a little and Zack bit back a laugh as he imagined what she meant by that. _Wait a minute… That was… So her 'friend' was…?_

Tifa bit her lip once. "So… Aeris, was it? How do you and Cloud know each other?"

The other woman shook her head with a smile. "It's not what you're thinking."

Cloud pulled his fiancée tighter against him. "Aeris bartended in the Lucky Girl opposite Genesis."

Aeris's attention snapped towards Tifa. "You knew Genny?!"

Tifa fiddled with her pearl teardrop earring for a moment. "Um… I've never heard him be called 'Genny' before, but, yeah, I used to know him. Why do you ask?"

Aeris's hand strayed up to her engagement ring on her necklace and Zack rubbed her back supportively. "Genny was… We were engaged to be married…"

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"How did you know him, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I… used to date his friend."

"What's his name?"

Tifa's arms wrapped around Cloud's waist for support and he pulled her against his body reassuringly. She managed to choke out, "Sephiroth."

"I met him once. He was a pretty cold guy."

"You don't even know the half of it."

Cloud kissed Tifa's hair once. "Teef… I… I think Aeris has a right to know."

"Yeah…"

Aeris cocked her head. "I don't understand…"

Cloud looked up, a serious fire suddenly burning in his bright blue gaze. "Is there somewhere we can go to talk where we won't be interrupted or watched?"

Zack eyed the couple warily. _Tifa used to be in a gang with Angeal… Genesis died fighting for them. Does this have something to do with that?_ "Follow me. We'll go to my suite. There're no cameras or anything. We'll be left alone there."

Cloud nodded. "Good." He turned to Tifa. "I'm sorry… I know you wanted to have fun tonight."

She shook her head. "It's okay. This is more important."

The four of them walked off, led by Zack, before winding up on one of the upper floors of the fancy hotel. He ran his keycard through the slot and pushed the door open. "You'll have to excuse the mess. I hate having maids touching my personal things and I haven't had time to clean."

Tifa nodded. "It's alright. Our house is a bit of a mess itself."

Zack led them inside and gestured to the couches. "Have a seat." He made his way over to the bar. "You want something to drink?"

Tifa set a hand on her stomach. "No thanks, Zack."

Cloud shook his head 'no' and Aeris just bit her lip while sitting on one of the couches. "So, um, what is it?"

Zack walked over and sat down next to her with a drink in hand. He set his arm across her shoulders and pulled her closer. "Yeah, I'm curious, too."

Cloud rubbed his palms on his black slacks while Tifa took a deep breath. "How much do you know about Sephiroth?"

Zack shook his head. "Absolutely nothing."

Aeris sighed. "What is this about?"

Cloud leaned back in the sofa set kitty-corner to the one Zack and Aeris were on. "Just answer the question, please."

"A little. I met him once and he seemed a bit callous, but… I got the feeling he was up to no good."

Cloud mumbled, just loud enough to hear, "That's the understatement of the year."

Tifa nudged him in the gut before turning to Aeris. "This might seem irrelevant, but, please, bear with me. Sephiroth is a murderer. Plain and simple. He raided public places and killed as many as he could. I dated him awhile two years back without knowing about this… hobby. I left him, or tried to, when I found out. He… He had followers. Four men, two of his cousins named Yazoo and Loz, a man named Angeal Hewley and another named Genesis Rhapsodos."

Aeris gasped. "No! Genny wouldn't… He wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"Genesis was always the most moral of the group, but he followed regardless. He, Angeal, and Sephiroth were all friends for years. I don't know how they got to killing, but it doesn't really matter."

"And… Angeal, too?"

Zack tightened his arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair. "I'm sorry…"

She pulled back to look at him with tears in her eyes. "Did you know?!"

He wiped her tears away, pulling back as she slapped his hand. "About Angeal, yeah, but I didn't know about Genesis… I guessed, but I didn't have any proof and Angeal refused to tell me."

She looked down before turning back to Tifa. "Continue, please."

Cloud spoke instead, "My friends and I were all what you might call a gang. We're a close-knit bunch and we all fought to try to stop Sephiroth. He… The bastard killed my mother and my best friend's brother. His other brother committed suicide after his brother died… I always fought against Sephiroth with those memories feeding my anger. My friends and I… We never killed. Just wounded enough to make them retreat."

Aeris looked down. "I'm sorry about your mother, but… Do you have proof? This seems a little far-fetched…"

Tifa looked down at her hands. "When I finally broke free from him, or when I thought I had, he left me with a constant reminder." She pulled the strap to her gown down off her shoulder, keeping herself hidden but showing enough of an ugly scar on the left side of her collarbone.

Zack hissed a breath as he took it in. "Yikes…"

She slid the strap back up. "It's been two years since then, but it still… It's a constant reminder of my past whenever I look in a mirror."

Cloud sighed. "I have more than enough scars myself, but I've always been fortunate enough to give some back."

Zack squeezed Aeris's shoulder again, hoping to delay the inevitable for a moment longer. "Angeal told me Sephiroth 'passed away'… What really happened?"

Cloud sighed and leaned back, reaching one hand out to hold Tifa's and touching the other to his abdomen. "Sephiroth… Sephiroth found out Tifa was pregnant awhile back and gave her a choice."

Tifa looked up, squeezing Cloud's hand. "He said I could either get back together with him and raise our child as his, or he would hunt me down in the future and—" she swallowed and set a hand on her stomach, "—kill our baby before my eyes. In a gruesome and painful way, making it last and… and…" She started to choke on her words and Cloud shifted his hold to pull her against him, stroking her shoulder to comfort her.

He continued her story. "She came to me and told me what had happened and I acted on instinct. I called Sephiroth to battle and challenged him to a duel. It… almost ended in a draw. I almost bled out in a rotten alleyway without ever getting to meet my child."

Aeris wiped away her tears and sniffed. "So… How does Genny fit into this?"

Cloud sighed. "Genesis… was the second casualty of our fights, my friend's brother, Weiss, being the first. You should know, he died to defend his friend."

"Tell me. Please. I… I need closure…"

He nodded. "We were all fighting… Genesis was absent and my friend was late. I was fighting tooth and nail with Sephiroth. He got a good hit on me and stabbed me clean through the thigh. I fell on my bad leg and Angeal came in for the kill. My friend arrived and fired, aiming to throw of Angeal's sense of balance. Genesis took the shot for him. It was aimed to hit Angeal's leg… No one was supposed to die…"

"I-I see…"

"If it's any consolation, I heard his last words. They were filled with concern for you. I didn't make the connection at the time, but I realized later that he was talking about you. He told Angeal to make sure you were alright and to tell you he loved you. I'm sorry, Aeris… I…"

"Thank you for telling me."

"You have the right to know. I should've told you sooner. I'm sorry."

"So, in a way, you're guilty of Genny's death?"

"If you want to blame me, go ahead. I won't stop you. I get that you loved him. If anything happened to Tifa, I'd be searching to make sure someone—anyone—paid."

"I'm not looking for someone to blame. I… I just… I'm just trying to figure this out."

Cloud stood, helping Tifa to her feet. "I understand. Do what you have to. For what it's worth, I hope we can still be friends."

Zack watched the two of them leave before turning to Aeris and pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Aer…"

She burst into tears against his expensive suit jacket and shuddered in his arms. "I… I don't know what to think, Zack… I mean… I…"

He started to rock her back and forth. "Shh…"

"Zack…"

"I'm here, Aer… I'm not going anywhere."

"I-I loved him, Zack…"

"I know you did."

"But… But he…"

"Don't think too hard. That Cloud guy said he really did love you."

"I-I know… I know he did. Zack…?"

"I'm here. I'm here for you."

"Thank you. I-I know this can't be easy for you, either."

"You're right, but you're more important. This is a bigger issue for you."

She buried her face in his chest. "Thank you, Zack. I know I don't deserve you."

"Nah… It's me that doesn't deserve you. Take your time figuring this out. I'll still be here, waiting for you, okay?"

"Thank you, Zack. You're the best."

* * *

Kind of sad, I know… You guys probably wanted Zack's chapter to be more light-hearted, didn't you? I promise I'll make up for it with Aerith's chapter and little parts along the way… And for those of you Zack/Aerith shippers out there, there'll be more of that, too. More Cloti, but there'll still be Zerith. :P

Good night, all, and happy late Valentine's! It'd be funny if this was Vinnie's chapter…

Please, please, please review! Please? I love you?

-Valk


	20. Chapter XX

Ughhhh…! I fail on such an epic level… Wanderer sent this back to me almost a week ago and I've been putting off writing my A/N. Because of that, I'm just going to list the names of my beloved reviewers instead of posting a little note. I'm fairly certain that I replied to your reviews via PM, but if I didn't, feel free to send me a virtual slap. And let it be noted that it has been a full four months since my last update. I told you guys this story could last for another year!

Many, many thanks to **ken08002**, **oodball167**, **V-Ninja **:D, **Lunie**, **Truth**, **Snaps**, **mc**, **Trueflame**, **g2**, **zff**, and **FM16**! Thank you so very much for sticking with this fic after all my epic fail… Love ya!

Thanks to The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing!

_**Chapter XX  
**__**Yuffie**_

_**Two Weeks Later… August 9th.**_

_**Sunday**__**…**_

The following takes place between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

**(Yuffie, 2:30 p.m.)**

Yuffie ran through the base, pointing out minor flaws in the room. She pointed a finger at Biggs. "What did you say?"

The raven-haired man raised his hands in defense. "Nothing, Yuffie."

"Good. This _is_ Cloud's birthday…"

Vincent looked up from where he was attempting to fold origami cranes at Yuffie's demand. "Technically, his birthday isn't until Tuesday…"

"But if we don't celebrate it now, then the term 'surprise party' loses all meaning."

She jumped as a vibration echoed in her pocket and she pulled the black flip phone from within. She checked the caller I.D. and flipped it open. "Hiya, Cloud! What's up?"

The low voice on the other end replied, "You know what's up, Yuffie! I want my frickin' phone back! And what are you answering it for?"

"Oh, come on! What's a little game of cat-and-mouse?"

"Yuffie…" The man sighed, likely taking a minute to calm himself. "I need my phone. What if something happens to Tifa? Or the baby?"

"Oh, she's gone for, what, a week? I have your phone. If she calls, you'll be the first to know. I'm doing this for your benefit, you know!"

"…And _how_ is stealing my phone benefiting me?"

"We both know you'd be yakkin' your lips off with Tifa if I let you keep it!"

"Help me out here… What exactly is wrong with talking to my fiance while she's away from home?"

"She's famous, Cloud! She's gonna hafta travel a lot! You're gonna hafta get used to not having her around!"

"But while she's pregnant?"

"Again. She's going to be doing this all the time!"

"…Which brings me to my next point. Aren't _you_ in the band? Why didn't you go? Why are you still here to harass us and our innocent cell phones?"

"Because it's some lyric thingy… Teefs had to authorize and mix lyrics and stuff… Nothing I can help with. Reno's always been there, helping Teef write the songs since day one. It's only natural he'd go."

"Yuffie, I will find you, and I will kill you."

"Yeah, yeah. As if you haven't given me _that_ threat before."

"I'm serious this time, though. I'm getting my swords-"

"Oh! Gotta go! You're getting another call!"

"Yu-!"

She hit the button to end the call with him before accepting the incoming call. Before she could say a word, the voice on the other end rang out, "Cloud! You'll never guess what happened! Trust me, you won't. C'mon, guess! Oh, fine, I'll tell you! We finished up here in Kalm earlier than we expected, so I'm on my way home now! My train is just coming in! I'll be home for your birthday after all!"

Yuffie scratched her head. "Um, that's great, Teefs, but I'm not your boyfriend."

Tifa was silent for a minute. "…Yuffie? Why do you have Cloud's phone?"

"It's a long story. Trust me when I tell you, you don't want to know."

"I think I do, but I'll wait until I'm home and I can hear Cloud's side of it."

Yuffie shrugged. "Whatever." An idea started to spawn in her mind and she grinned. "Say, Teef…"

"I don't like that tone, but what?"

"We were putting together a surprise birthday party for Cloud today…"

"His birthday isn't for another two days…"

"What don't you people get about the aspect of 'surprise'?"

"Geez, fine. What were you saying?"

"How would you like to help give this party the ultimate surprise?"

"What do you mean?"

**(Zack, 2:47 p.m.)**

Zack climbed out of his Gabbiani and walked around to open the passenger door. He helped Aeris out and escorted her up to the door arm-in-arm. She smiled at him and looked down at her pink t-shirt and cut-off shorts before saying, "Zack… I'm really not dressed right to be treated like this…"

He turned to her and replied with a smirk, "There's never an occasion where you shouldn't be treated like a lady, Vicki."

Smiling, she shook her head. "Uh-huh… Forget that, Jonas. Not after you ditched me for Princess Karina."

"Hey!" A shocked expression crossed his features. "We were in an 'off' period!"

"You still moved on awfully fast."

"Yeah, I know. That's the main focus of fans right now. If you look at all the blogs and forums, the Karnas-shippers are all chewing out the Jocki-shippers because of that."

"I still don't get how name-mashers know which Jonas is involved in the pairing."

"It's easy! Jonas Prince is known as 'Jonas,' while Prince Jonas is called 'Prince.'"

"So Prince Jonas-Vicki shippers are called 'Pricki's'?"

"Naw… Well, that's what Jocki's call them, but they're called 'Vince's'."

"Weird… What about Prince-Princess shippers?"

"They're 'Kance's.' Don't get me started on the guy-guy and girl-girl names. Yegh. I mean, Kunsel's my buddy, but that's it."

Aeris giggled. "Well, I guess I should be relieved that you won't be leaving me for him, huh?"

He leaned closer and pressed a light kiss to her lips. "I'm not planning on leaving you for anyone." He paused. "Especially not a dude."

**(Cloud, 3:21 p.m.)**

Cloud sat on the couch of his home, the chaotic mess quiet for once. Vincent was doing Goddess-knew-what, Luc was teaching a summer class at the university, Tifa was out-of-town, and Marlene was staying with Barret for the week.

He sighed and leaned back in the fabric. _When's Tifa getting home…?_

The door opened and a familiar dark-haired head leaned in. "Hey, kid, grab your keys. We're going for a ride."

Cloud rolled his eyes. "Don't feel like it, Vincent."

"Too bad. I came with orders to find you and bring you back with me, unconscious or no."

"Ordered? Aren't you in charge?"

"I'm notgetting on Yuffie's bad side."

"She has a good side?"

"You know what I mean."

"What's she want me for?"

"She's had some time to think it over and she realized what a bad girl she is. She wants to apologize and give you your phone back, but she's too proud to come crawling up to your door and ask for your forgiveness."

"Tch, fine. I'm not doing anything, anyway."

Cloud stood, wandered to his room, grabbed his keys and followed Vincent outside. He saddled into Fenrir and called out, "Where is she?"

"Where else?"

"Alright. See you there."

**(Yuffie, 3:43 p.m.)**

Yuffie paced back and forth, waiting for Vincent to get back with Cloud. Finally, the roar of engines—one being the unmistakable sound of Fenrir—sounded from outside. She giggled with joy and ducked down out of sight. The door to the warehouse opened, sending a bright light into the otherwise dark room. Cloud's voice sounded out, "The place is empty, Vincent. The lights aren't even on."

The light faded as Vincent shut the door behind them. "She was here when I left…"

Yuffie signaled to Kadaj off hiding behind a cabinet for him to get ready and he, in turn, signaled to the rest of the group.

Cloud sighed. "That's it. I'm out of here."

Yuffie mouthed 'now!' to the rest of the group and jumped up, shouting, "Surprise!"

Vincent clicked on the lights in the back as everyone waited on a reaction from the guest of honor. Cloud only sighed and dropped down into the sofa. "Nice try, guys, but I'm really depressed."

Yuffie clapped her hands together. "I bet you'll be better once we give you your presents!"

"Whatever."

She looked over at Vincent. "Can you help me bring it out?"

Vincent gave a smirk. "Sure thing, Yuffie."

Cloud leaned his head back and rubbed his temples. "Should I be scared?"

Yuffie reached around back of a cabinet and grabbed Tifa's wrist from where she was hiding with a smile. "Nah… I don't think so. It was my idea, but we all chipped in."

Vincent took her other wrist and pulled Tifa out. Cloud kept his hand over his eyes, shielding them from the sight of her. Yuffie resisted a pout at his behavior and stamped her foot on the cement to get his attention.

He looked up, his eyes finally falling on Tifa and a wide smile spreading on his face. Jumping up from his seat, he ran forward and pulled her into a hug. He pressed his lips to hers and held her close.

Yuffie stood on the side, trying to decide between smiling her mouth off or throwing up on the floor. She finally settled on smiling and grinned openly as her best friend and her almost-brother continued to greet each other passionately before her eyes.

**(Yuffie, 4:16 p.m.)**

Yuffie made her way down the sidewalk, riding on the back of her boyfriend for the past five months. She grinned widely at the expense of the passer-bys, not caring what they thought of her. She was happy to be with Reno and she didn't care what they thought of it. A thought she'd been struggling with came to her and she paused, mulling it over in her head. "Hey, Reno?"

He glanced up slightly to look at her. "Yeah?"

"Um…" she began, not really sure how to voice her thoughts. "I… You know what you said? About getting serious…?"

A light of hope entered his eyes as he warily asked, "Yeah?"

"Uh, well, I've been giving it a lot of thought, you know?"

"And…?"

"And, well, after seeing how happy Teefs has been with Cloud, I… I wanna give us a shot… As more than we are right now."

He grinned and twisted, shifting her so she was in front of him. "Really?"

She smiled a little weakly at first and shifted to stand before giving him one of her patented grins. "Yeah!"

He leaned forward to kiss her happily before pulling back slightly. "You're not pregnant, are you?"

She made a face at him and replied, "Hell, no. What gave you that idea?"

"Well, you said that you saw how happy Tifa and Cloud were…"

"I meant in their relationship! Not in that they were having a baby!"

"Just checking."

"You _do_ want to have a better relationship, right?"

"'Course! What kinda fool d'you think I am?"

She grinned again. "Just checking."

* * *

Soo… Not a lot of Cloti, but enough to keep us shippers satisfied, I hope.

Please, please, please, please, please, please review? Please?

-Queen of Fail


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